Texas abortion advocates celebrate Mexico's decriminalization

The Mexican Supreme Court has decriminalized abortion, a contrast to the status of abortion rights on the other side of the Rio Grande — where the highest court in the U.S. has stripped constitutional protections on abortion.

Wednesday's ruling removed abortion from the Mexican federal penal code, and public health services must provide pregnancy interruption to anyone who requests it.

"This decision is a historical milestone representing a turning point in the defense of reproductive justice," said Rebecca Ramos, executive director of El Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida. "This would not have been possible without the incessant commitment of the feminist movement of which we are extremely proud to be a part of today."

Two years ago, the Supreme Court paved the road by declaring unconstitutional the criminalization of abortion in the northern states of Coahuila and Sinaloa.

What started 15 years ago, when Mexico City made abortion legal, has had the momentum to attract 11 other Mexican states.

Developments in Mexico also followed similar decisions throughout Latin America to push back abortion restrictions.