Ecuador: Rival protests held as National Assembly votes against decriminalising abortion

W/S Pro-life protesters with banner reading (Spanish): "No to abortion", Quito
M/S Pro-life protesters chanting and holding mock coffins
W/S Police next to security barrier, Quito
M/S Pro-life protesters
M/S Pro-life protesters
M/S Pro-life protesters praying
M/S Pro-life protesters holding sign reading in Spanish: "Leave your mark in favour of life."
M/S Protesters chanting (Spanish): "Assembly, be careful."
SOT, Santiago Freire, Pro-life group member (Spanish): "The constitution of Ecuador recognises life from conception, therefore the reform today which is being presented to the COIP [Organic Comprehensive Criminal Code], is unconstitutional, on the one hand. We also believe that defending life is the basic principle and foundation for society."
M/S Pro-choice protesters
C/U Banner reading in Spanish: "A brave woman knows your son recognises the son in your belly."
M/S Pro-choice protester chanting
SOT, Ana Cristina Vera, Free Abortion Ecuador member (Spanish): "Women's rights organizations believe that there are several important issues that are being discussed. Among them are the issues of incest criminalization and the possibility of a special and expedited [abortion] process in the case of violence and mainly the decriminalization of abortion in cases of rape and fetal malformations which leads to the fetus being unable to live."
W/S Pro-choice protesters playing drums
SOT, Ana Cristina Vera, Free abortion Ecuador group member (Spanish): "This is a historic opportunity for assembly members to legislate in favour of women's lives in favour of their dignity and decriminalise abortion in case of rape."
M/S Protester banging drum
M/S Pro-choice protesters placing hand prints on banner
C/U Banner reading in Spanish: "Free abortion."
W/S Mock coffins and candles underneath religious icon
SCRIPT
Rival groups of activists protested outside Ecuador's National Assembly in Quito on Tuesday ahead of a key vote to reform the nation's abortion laws on Tuesday.
"This is a historic opportunity for assembly members to approve a law in favour of women's lives, in favour of their dignity and decriminalise abortion in case of rape," said Ana Cristina Vera, a member of pro-choice group Free Abortion Ecuador.
A pro-life group member Santiago Freire said the reform was contradicting Ecuador's constitution which states that life begins from conception.
Later on Tuesday, the Assembly voted against the reform which would have allowed abortions in cases of rape, incest and fetus malformation.