"The new law recognizes the full humanity of the preborn in cases involving violence or murder committed against their mothers, yet pro-life advocates see the precedent as historical."
From lifesitenews.com, and written by Patrick Delaney Fri Feb 13, 2026 - 5:00 pm EST: Puerto Rico recognizes preborn children as human beings in penal code reform - LifeSite
"(LifeSiteNews) — Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón signed a bill into law on Thursday recognizing a preborn child “conceived at any stage of gestation” as a human being for the purposes of the nation’s penal code.
While the new statute does not impact abortion laws in the American territory, its explicit recognition of the preborn child’s humanity will be utilized in the context of defining murder.
As stated in a press release from González-Colón, the new law (SB923) amends the penal code with the explicit purpose of supplementing the previous Keishla Rodriguez law, named after a pregnant mother who was murdered by former partner Félix Verdejo in April 2021. Verdejo, a former boxer, was convicted in the killing and given two life sentences.
As expressed by González, a Republican, the new law “classifies as first-degree murder the intentional and knowing killing of a pregnant woman, resulting in the death of the unborn child at any stage of gestation within the mother’s womb.”
Making apparent reference to a similar pro-life bill she signed in December, the governor affirmed the new law “aims to maintain consistency between civil and criminal provisions by recognizing the unborn child as a human being.”
The previous related measure established preborn children as “natural persons” under the law by amending the nation’s Civil Code. It states, “Every human being is a natural person, including the conceived child at any stage of gestation within the mother’s womb.”
Father Carlos Pérez Toro, pastor of Santa Rosa de Lima Church and civil lawyer graduate of Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law, celebrated the bill’s passage at the time.
“It is recognized that the human being in gestation is a natural person from the first moment of conception; using a legal term that only applied when a human being was born, it is said that he or she has legal personality and capacity from the first moment of conception,” he said.
This earlier bill (SB504) granted preborn children inheritance rights, including the ability to be named as a beneficiary or heir, and states explicitly that it does not impact a woman’s legal “right” to abort her preborn child.
Rather than being radical, this law “reflects a growing acknowledgment that legal systems cannot indefinitely avoid the scientific reality that human life begins at conception,” Vianca Rodriguez wrote at the time. “By naming that reality directly, Puerto Rico chose honesty over ambiguity and placed the value of unborn life firmly within its legal framework, reinforcing long-standing principles of human dignity and the protection of life recognized in both Puerto Rico’s and the United States’ constitutional traditions.”
Opponents of the legislation fear that the foundational principles of personhood, established in legal structures, will eventually serve to protect preborn children from being killed in direct abortion procedures as well.
“A zygote was given legal personality,” Rosa Seguí Cordero, an attorney and spokesperson for the National Campaign for Free, Safe and Accessible Abortion in Puerto Rico, told the Associated Press. “We women were stripped of our rights.”
Reports in late December reflected severe anger by pro-abortion advocates as well, revealing they are “are mobilizing against a new law recognizing the unborn as a natural person, warning it could threaten abortion rights despite privacy protections.”
Alondra del Mar Hernández of Aborto Libre Puerto Rico called the earlier law “a tool of manipulation” and “a mechanism of control” that could lead to the criminalization of abortion; Patricia Otón of the same group compared it with similar laws “particularly in the South, where abortion laws are most restrictive.”
In regard to yesterday’s bill, Annette Martínez Orabona, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union in Puerto Rico, told the AP, “There is no doubt that the measure did not undergo adequate analysis before its approval and leaves an unacceptable space for ambiguity regarding civil rights.”
“The legislative leadership failed to fulfill its responsibility to the people, and so did the governor,” she charged.
However, in a X post on Friday, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America celebrated the new bill, calling it a “historic moment in Puerto Rico.”
“New law recognizes unborn babies as persons under the law, affirming that every human life has value and deserves protection. A powerful example and a win for moms and babies,” the tweet said. “We applaud this bold step for human dignity!”
Students for Life president Kristan Hawkins also cheered on this “BIG WIN,” tweeting, “Puerto Rico just recognized preborn babies as human beings under the law! Thank you to Gov. Jenniffer González for affirming what science has made clear for decades: Life begins at conception!”
Commenting on the new law, longtime pro-life leader [Father] Frank Pavone tweeted, “Laws shape culture. Language shapes law. When a government recognizes the unborn as human beings, it changes the framework of the entire conversation.”
“This decision will have legal, political, and cultural implications across the island and could influence discussions in other states and territories as well,” he anticipated.
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End of pro-life article...
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