Dominican activists protest against a new criminal code that would maintain a total abortion ban

Activists in the Dominican Republic protested on Wednesday against a bill for a new criminal code that would keep in place the country’s total abortion ban.

The Dominican Senate gave initial approval to the bill in late June and lawmakers are expected to give it final approval in the next few days.

“We continue to fight,” said feminist activist Sergia Galván, who along with fellow protesters have asked for legal abortion when the woman’s life is at risk, when a pregnancy is the product of rape or incest, and in cases of fetal malformation incompatible with life.

The Dominican Republic is one of four Latin American nations that criminalizes abortion without exceptions. Women face up to two years in prison for having an abortion, while the penalties for doctors or midwives who conduct them range from five to 20 years.

Besides maintaining the total abortion ban, the new criminal code would also reduce penalties for sexual violence within marriage and exclude sexual orientation from the list of characteristics protected from discrimination, affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

Abortion rights activists say the country’s total abortion ban not only restricts women’s reproductive choices but risks their lives.

“We want a (criminal) Code that respects women and girls, that allows them to decide,” said Nicole Pichardo, leader of a minority political party, who was at Wednesday's protest.

“The penal code that the Senate approved does not represent us,” said Rosalba Díaz, from the Dominican Inclusive Lesbian Community. “And what does this mean? That now, people who have a different sexual orientation, or gender identity, will be at risk of facing constant discrimination.”

President Luis Abinader, who won a second term last May, suggested to abortion activists that he would be willing to support decriminalization, but after winning both elections he pulled back.

“Women’s organizations met with him and he told us he agreed with the three exceptions,” Galván said. “But it was a deception to the citizens, to the women and the people.”

Dominicans have also raised concerns about changes not related to abortion in the new criminal code.

One of its articles, for instance, would exempt churches from criminal liability, which according to activists like Galván could leave unpunished sexual abuse, money laundering or cover ups by religious leaders.

On the Caribbean island, religion is key. The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world that bears a Bible on its flag. And the State motto is “God, Country and Freedom.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Abortion activists protest the proposal of a law, under debate by lawmakers, that would keep a total abortion ban in place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Activists fear it will reduce penalties for sexual violence and fail to protect the LGBTQ community. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez)

Abortion activists protest the proposal of a law, under debate by lawmakers, that would keep a total abortion ban in place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Activists fear it will reduce penalties for sexual violence and fail to protect the LGBTQ community. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez)

DETROIT (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated false claims that Chinese automakers are putting up large factories in Mexico, vowing during a stop in the automaking state of Michigan to slap 200% tariffs on any vehicles the unbuilt plants make and ship to the United States.

Trump also claimed during an event in Flint that if Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is elected in November, there will be no more auto industry in the U.S., because work building electric vehicles will go to China.

That statement came even though automaking employment has grown since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, after dropping during Trump's first term.

“If I don't win, you will have no auto industry within two to three years," Trump said, calling any increases under Biden and Harris temporary. “You will not have any manufacturing plants. China is going to take over all of them because of the electric car.”

He told the crowd he would make foreign automakers build factories in the U.S. by imposing tariffs on imported autos, saying it “will be like taking candy from a baby.”

Foreign automakers already have multiple U.S. factories, mainly in southern states.

Auto jobs dipped 0.8% during Trump's term to just over 949,000 in January 2021, when he left office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since Biden took office that month, auto and parts jobs rose 13.6% to 1.07 million in August, so there's no evidence of the industry disappearing. Auto sales were up 2.4% in the first half of this year.

Trump said his tariffs would make Chinese vehicles built in Mexico unsellable in the U.S., forcing automakers from China and elsewhere to set up factories in the U.S.

“They’re owned and built by China in Mexico, and there are a number of them going up right now,” Trump said of Chinese factories.

Although some Chinese automakers aspire to sell in the U.S., industry analysts say there are no large Chinese-owned auto factories under construction in Mexico, and there's only one small Chinese auto assembly factory operating there. It’s run by a company called JAC that builds inexpensive vehicles from kits for sale in that country.

Trump also promised to charge tariffs on vehicles made in other countries if those countries tax U.S.-made vehicles. But often tariffs end up being passed on to consumers in the country that assesses them.

The Harris campaign issued a statement from Michigan Sen. Gary Peters saying that a second Trump term would crush auto jobs, “ceding Michigan's global auto manufacturing leadership to the Chinese government.” He said Harris has a plan to bring good-paying manufacturing jobs home "and ensure Michigan workers continue to lead the world in auto manufacturing.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a town hall event at the Dort Financial Center, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a town hall event at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)