By Lise Alves Catholic News Service • Posted February 11, 2016

SAO PAULO (CNS) — The president of the Brazilian bishops’ conference criticized a proposal by the U.N. Human Rights Commission that countries allow abortion in cases in which the mother was infected with the Zika virus.

“Abortion is not the answer for the Zika virus,” Archbishop Bishop Sergio da Rocha of Brasilia told reporters during a Feb. 10 news conference to announce the bishops’ Lenten Fraternity Campaign. “We need to value life in any situation or condition. Less quality of life does not mean less rights to live or less human dignity.”

The same day, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff met with members of the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil to seek their help in fighting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus.

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Rousseff asked the religious leaders — including Catholics — to urge parishioners to look around their homes and neighborhoods for possible breeding grounds for the mosquito, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya fever.

The Zika virus, which has made world headlines in the past few weeks, has been linked by the Brazilian government to the surge in microcephaly cases, although only 400 of 3,670 suspected cases of microcephaly have been proven to be linked to the virus.

The possible link has led to the rekindling of the debate surrounding the decriminalization of abortion in Brazil. Groups that have often spoken out for the decriminalization are now said to be preparing a suit to be taken to Brazil’s Supreme Court for the authorization for abortion in cases of confirmed Zika infection in pregnant women.

Auxiliary Bishop Leonardo Steiner of Brasilia, secretary-general of the bishops’ conference, said groups are taking advantage of a painful situation to advance the discussion of abortion in the country. He said the church’s position would always be in favor of life.

Other Christian groups, however, would like to expand the discussion on abortion to other sectors of society and hear what women have to say.

“We understand this is an issue that needs to be discussed with society in a much more open and democratic manner,” said Joel Zeferino, president of the Alliance of Baptists of Brazil. “We need to include in this debate the women who suffer these abortions, the women who live on the outskirts of our cities, the black women, these are the ones who, in fact, resort to illegal abortions.”