The Latin American equivalent of the American post-nati emancipation laws. Slaves born after a certain date were to be kept as slaves until they reached the age of 21. Slaves born the day before would be slaves for life. The free womb laws caused such a furor among slaves born just before the named date for emancipation and such agitation among Latin American abolitionists that the governments of most countries which passed these laws were toppled within a few decades of passage, thereby ending slavery sooner than expected.

Cuba’s regime was destroyed by such agitation in 1886, sixteen years after passage of the Moret Law calling for free womb emancipation. Brazil’s government fell in 1888 as a result of a revolt caused by its Rio Branco Law passed in 1871.