Puerto Rico Declares Unborn as Legal Persons

Puerto Rico just made one of the boldest pro-life declarations in any U.S. jurisdiction, recognizing unborn children as legal persons from the moment of conception—a move that could reshape abortion politics far beyond the island.

Story Snapshot

Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed Law 183-2025 in December 2025, amending Puerto Rico’s Civil Code to grant personhood to the unborn at any stage of gestation
The law allows pregnant women to claim unborn children as tax dependents and heirs, while complementing criminal penalties for fetal harm without directly banning abortion
Pro-life advocates celebrate it as a scientifically grounded victory, while medical professionals and abortion rights groups warn of chilling effects on healthcare and women’s autonomy
The legislation was named after Keishla Rodríguez, murdered while pregnant in 2021, and comes alongside two other pro-life laws signed in late 2025

Three Laws in Three Months Transform Puerto Rico’s Legal Landscape

Governor González Colón, a member of the New Progressive Party with Republican affiliations, orchestrated a rapid succession of pro-life legislation in the final months of 2025. Law 122-2025 in October required parental consent for minors seeking abortions and mandated law enforcement notification in suspected rape cases. December brought Law 166-2025, classifying crimes that kill an unborn child during attacks on pregnant women as first-degree murder. The capstone arrived December 21 with Law 183-2025, declaring every human being a natural person, including the conceived child within the mother’s womb. Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz authored the personhood bill with bipartisan co-sponsors, fast-tracking it without public hearings.

A Legal Framework Built on Tragedy

The legislation draws direct inspiration from the 2021 murder of Keishla Rodríguez, a pregnant woman killed by boxer Félix Verdejo, who received life sentences for his crime. Puerto Rico’s Civil Code traditionally regulated property rights and personal dignity through Article 74, but the new amendment extends these protections to the nasciturus—the unborn child. The law positions itself among a growing number of U.S. jurisdictions experimenting with fetal personhood, including Georgia’s 2019 LIFE Act and Alabama’s 2024 IVF embryo ruling. Unlike those precedents, Puerto Rico’s version affects civil rather than criminal abortion access, creating a legal paradox where personhood coexists with unrestricted abortion rights for adults.

Practical Implications and Medical Fears

Father Carlos Pérez Toro highlighted immediate benefits for pregnant women, including the ability to claim unborn children for inheritance rights and tax dependency status. Pro-life organizations led by Sarah Tobias of Oregon Right to Life and Kelsey Pritchard of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America praised the law as scientifically consistent and compassionate. However, Dr. Carlos Díaz Vélez of the Puerto Rico College of Medical Surgeons warned of disastrous consequences, predicting doctors will practice defensive medicine by avoiding complex pregnancy cases to escape potential murder charges. The ACLU’s Annette Martínez Orabana condemned the rushed process and legal ambiguity, while Rosa Seguí Cordero of the National Campaign for Free, Safe and Accessible Abortion accused lawmakers of stripping women’s rights through backdoor maneuvering.

The Long Game Beyond Abortion Access

Abortion remains broadly legal in Puerto Rico, even for minors without parental consent in most circumstances, creating an apparent contradiction with the new personhood framework. Yet critics recognize the law as foundational infrastructure for future restrictions, potentially enabling legal challenges to abortion providers or setting precedents for U.S. states post-Dobbs. The legislation establishes civil standing for the unborn that could be weaponized in wrongful death suits or custody disputes, transforming pregnancy into a legal minefield. Pro-life advocates view this as precisely the point—building a culture of life through incremental legal recognition rather than outright bans. The approach mirrors strategies in Texas and Oklahoma, where civil enforcement mechanisms circumvent traditional constitutional challenges to abortion restrictions.

A Template for Conservative Governance

Governor González Colón framed the legislation as maintaining consistency between civil and criminal codes while honoring human dignity from conception. The New Progressive Party’s willingness to act decisively without extended public debate reflects confidence in conservative values that prioritize unborn life, even when facing organized opposition from medical and abortion rights organizations. The absence of immediate legal challenges suggests either acceptance or strategic regrouping by opponents. Puerto Rico’s example offers a roadmap for other jurisdictions seeking to advance pro-life principles within existing abortion access frameworks, demonstrating that personhood recognition can advance incrementally through civil law amendments rather than confrontational criminal prohibitions. Whether this approach ultimately protects vulnerable life or restricts medical care depends entirely on implementation and judicial interpretation in the coming years.