EXPLAINER: Abortion access has expanded but remains difficult in Mexico. How does it work now?

By FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The decision by Mexico’s Supreme Court ending federal criminal penalties for abortion was a boost to activists who waged decades-long campaigns for safe access. But the country still has barriers to overcome before women gain universal access to abortion. Twenty of Mexico’s 32 states have laws classifying abortion as a crime that allow exceptions only in cases of rape.Most importantly, Mexican Supreme Court decisions are not automatically the law of the entire nation: They often have somewhat limited reach. Wednesday’s decision applied to federal anti-abortion penalties, meaning that the impact is immediate in the massive federal health system. While millions of women receive services through that system, many get them through other providers, and aren’t immediately affected.