The only practical way for Puerto Rico to decolonize, democratize, and safeguard its economic future and maintain its national identity is through national sovereignty—and trends indicate that support for sovereignty is growing.

Women’s rights begin with access to reproductive health care, and because abortion clinics provide such access, they are on the frontline of the struggle for women’s rights in Puerto Rico.

A look at the battle over abortion rights in Puerto Rico following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of ‘Roe v. Wade’ in 2022, which undid nearly 50 years of reproductive rights protections in the United States

If ‘Roe v. Wade’ is overturned, the fear is that the religious right in Puerto Rico and the two main parties will be emboldened to further limit women’s rights. The hope is that young women, part of the increasingly powerful Boricua female voting bloc, will go to the polls in large numbers.

On Tuesday, March 29, a new anti-choice abortion bill was passed by a Senate commission in Puerto Rico that limits abortions to 22 weeks. Rushed to approval without public hearings, the bill has drawn outrage from the public, female politicians, and medical professionals.