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CNN
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A Spanish TV actress has sparked controversy after utilizing a surrogate to satisfy what she says was the ultimate want of her useless son: to have a toddler.
Ana Obregón introduced the delivery in a canopy story for Hola! journal revealed earlier in April, detailing how she used sperm samples from son Aless, who died of most cancers in 2020 on the age of 27, to impregnate a surrogate mom.
Obregón – a 68-year-old socialite who’s married to Italian aristocrat Alessandro Lequio – has lengthy been a fixture on Spanish tv, and is finest identified for showing in collection resembling “A las as soon as en casa.”
Such was the curiosity within the youngster in Spain that one other journal, Letras, tracked down the surrogate – a girl of Cuban origin that lives in Florida – and splashed photographs of her on its entrance web page.
![Obregón at a charity event in October 2022.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/230406042258-02-ana-obregon-102022-restricted.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_720,w_1280,c_fill)
The story has sparked each authorized and moral debate in Spain, the place surrogacy is illegitimate and sperm samples can solely be used to impregnate a widowed associate inside 12 months of the donor’s loss of life with their specific permission.
Obregón advised Hola! that the infant, Ana Sandra Lequio Obregón, was born on March 20 in Miami and may have a US passport. She shall be registered on the Spanish consulate in Miami earlier than flying dwelling to Spain, added Obregón.
Some have questioned whether or not Obregón ought to have the ability to convey a child born by way of a way unlawful below Spanish regulation into the nation.
However the actress says she has paperwork proving that she is legally acknowledged because the child’s mom in the USA, and adopting a toddler born overseas is authorized in Spain.
Whereas some specialists say the legalities of the state of affairs are unclear, many authorized commentators have mentioned she is unlikely to face any authorized points upon returning dwelling.
Nevertheless the case has additionally raised ethical questions over surrogacy. Spanish regulation considers the observe “a type of violence towards girls.”
Others have questioned Obregon’s declare that she was fulfilling her son’s dying want.
![Spain's Minister for Equality Irene Montero pictured in January 2020.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/230406042300-01-irene-montero-011420.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_720,w_1280,c_fill)
“It appears questionable to me that the needs of the deceased would have been for his sperm for use to impregnate an egg within the physique of a girl abroad,” mentioned philosophy professor Gonzalo Velasco in an interview with radio station Cadena Ser.
“It appears fairly convoluted,” he added, likening the developments to a narrative by horror creator Stephen King or melodramatic Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
Verónica Fumanal, president of Spain’s Affiliation of Political Communication (ACOP) mentioned the announcement made her consider the dystopian TV collection “Black Mirror.”
“She purchased herself a grandaughter with sperm from her useless son,” mentioned Fumanal in an interview with Cadena Ser, who questioned the way in which through which Obregón had publicized the infant’s delivery.
“She put a digital camera in her face and offered the unique,” mentioned Fumanal.
Obregón has sought to dampen the controversy, calling the controversy in Spain “absurd” as a result of surrogacy is authorized in lots of nations around the globe.
Spain is certainly one of many nations the place surrogacy is illegitimate, and in others, such as the United Kingdom, surrogacy is authorized however restricted.
These restrictions, along with excessive prices and a scarcity of surrogates, encourage UK {couples} to search for a surrogate overseas, together with within the US, the place the method is extra simple.
Obregón advised Hola! that surrogacy is “very normalized” within the US and that there isn’t a debate like there may be in Spain.
She additionally revealed how child Ana matches into her household.
“This woman isn’t my daughter, however my grandaughter,” she advised Hola! “She is Aless’ daughter and when she grows up I’ll inform her that her father was a hero.”
Obregón additionally mentioned that Aless at all times needed an enormous household, and didn’t rule out repeating the method in order that Ana might have a brother or sister.
However subsequent on the agenda is the discharge of a ebook which tells the story of the surrogacy, scheduled for publication on April 19.
CNN has contacted representatives of each Ana Obregón and her husband Alessandro Lequio for remark.
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