MADRID (AP) 鈥 A heated debate in Spain triggered by a 68-year-old celebrity who was reported to have used a surrogate mother in Miami to have a baby took a twist Wednesday when the woman announced in socialite magazine 隆Hola! that the baby is actually the daughter of her son who died of cancer in 2020.
Actress and presenter Ana Obreg贸n told 隆Hola! that doctors had encouraged her son, Aless Lequio Garc铆a, to preserve samples of sperm before he began treatment and that he expressed a desire just before dying to have a child. The samples, she said, were stored in New York.
Surrogate pregnancies are banned in Spain, although children from such pregnancies in other countries can be registered.
鈥淭his girl is not my daughter, but rather my granddaughter鈥 Obreg贸n told the magazine. 鈥淚t was Aless鈥 last wish to bring a child into the world.鈥
Initial reports about the baby grabbed the attention of the Spanish media and the country鈥檚 political parties, sparking criticism from the leftist coalition government. Many leading politicians and outlets of Spanish media refer to surrogacy as 鈥渨omb renting.鈥
Equality Minister Irene Montero of the leftist United We Can coalition partner said surrogate pregnancies were 鈥渁 form of violence against women.鈥 The coalition鈥檚 Socialist party said legislation should be tweaked to prevent Spaniards using surrogates in other countries.
But Defense Minister Margarita Robles on Wednesday held off from criticizing Obreg贸n, saying that while the law was clear in Spain, personal decisions should be respected.
The main opposition conservative Popular Party has said it is open to debate legalizing such pregnancies if there鈥檚 no payment involved.
Initially, the fact that the matter concerned 68-year-old Obreg贸n seemed to generate as much controversy as that of surrogacy itself.
隆Hola! said the baby was born Mar. 20, and was conceived in June, when Obreg贸n's son would have turned 30.
Obreg贸n, a biologist, is one of Spain鈥檚 biggest celebrities and has appeared on many TV shows, including an episode of 鈥淭he A-Team.鈥 She was once best known for her yearly start-of-summer magazine photo shoot in a new bikini.
