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September 15, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Chilean president Sebastian Piñera has declared his intention to veto legislation to legalize “therapeutic abortion” that is currently advancing in the Chilean Senate, according to the leader of Piñera’s party.

Carlos Larraín, president of the National Renovation Party, said that Piñera made his opposition clear in a recent meeting with a Chilean mayor.

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The president “gave his assurance that if the abortion bill were approved, under any name, he would veto it,” Larraín told the Chilean press. “This seems to me to be a firm commitment.

Three bills proposing to legalize “therapeutic abortion” were recently approved by the Chilean Senate’s health committee in a 3-2 vote, and are expected to be voted upon by the entire body in the months ahead. The term “therapeutic abortion” is used to describe abortions done with the purported intention of helping the “health” of the mother, both psychological and physical, and may be used to justify virtually any abortion.

In addition to strong Catholic opposition to the bill, a large group of Evangelical Protestants under the banner of the Evangelical Church has asked the president to oppose such legislation.

Evangelicals “trust that all bills that attack the family will not arrive at a good end,” Piñera was told, and specific mention was made of the “therapeutic abortion” bills.

President Piñera was presented with the International Protect Life Award by a coalition of pro-life groups in March of this year. He has consistently defended the right to life during his administration.