National Congress of Argentina

The National Congress of Argentina is identified in the novel’s accompanying commentary as the national body that approved abortion legalization on 30 December 2020. Its brief appearance places the book’s debate over abortion within a contemporary political context, linking intimate struggles over pregnancy and motherhood to public action in Argentina.

Political Context

The commentary situates the approval amid fierce public debates around the legalization of abortion. It gives the date as 30 December 2020, presenting the congressional decision as a significant development in that debate without describing the legislative process or the law’s provisions.

Connection to the Novel

The reference appears in a discussion of Catedrales, published during the global lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The commentary relates the novel’s treatment of abortion to the broader public dispute in Argentina, while also connecting that debate to Elena Knows, whose central concerns include women’s control over their bodies and the pressures surrounding motherhood.

Narrative and Thematic Significance

The National Congress of Argentina functions here as a historical and political reference point rather than as a participant in the novels’ fictional events. Its mention widens the frame from individual and family decisions to a national debate, underscoring that questions of pregnancy and abortion are shaped not only by personal relationships and beliefs but also by public institutions and political change.