Uruguay has just become the first country in South America to approve the legalization of euthanasia. The measure, known as the “Dignified Death Law”, was approved by the Senate and now awaits the signature of President Yamandú Orsi, who has already expressed support for the bill. The information is from g1.
The text was discussed for over a decade and defended by the ruling coalition Broad Front, which had established the issue as one of the 15 legislative priorities for 2025. According to a poll by consultancy firm Cifra, 62% of Uruguayans support legalization and only 24% are against.
How the law will work
According to the approved bill, only adults, citizens or residents of Uruguay, who suffer from terminal illnesses or unbearable pain that severely compromises their quality of life, will be able to request euthanasia. Another requirement is that the person is mentally capable of making the decision.
The process involves a series of steps, including a written declaration from the patient, recorded in the presence of witnesses, before final authorization. Detailed regulations will still be defined, but supporters of the law argue that the text contains safeguards that protect both doctors and patients.
Voices from those awaiting the new law
Among the first known cases is that of Beatriz Gelós, 71 years old, diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at age 52. In an interview with AFP, she said: “It would give me incredible peace if it were approved. It’s a compassionate law, very human, very well drafted.” Beatriz, who now depends on a wheelchair, added: “The time has come. You have no idea what it’s like to live like this.” Retired teacher and grandmother, she emphasizes that the main thing is to have the option to decide when enough is enough.
Activist Florencia Salgueiro, from the Empathy group, also defended the measure. She recounted the experience of her father, Pablo, who died at 57 from ALS without access to the procedure. “The key to the regulation is to respect the adult’s wish to end their suffering,” she emphasized.
Religious resistance
The approval of euthanasia reinforces Uruguay’s image as a pioneer in progressive legislation, following the regulation of the cannabis market, same-sex marriage, and decriminalization of abortion.
Even so, the issue is divisive. The Catholic Church expressed “sadness” with the vote, and more than a dozen civil society organizations criticized the measure, calling it “flawed and dangerous”. Lawyer Marcela Pérez Pascual, who signed a manifesto against the law, stated: “The most vulnerable people are being left unprotected.”
A growing movement worldwide
With this decision, Uruguay joins a select group of countries that allow euthanasia, including Canada, Spain, Netherlands, and New Zealand. In Latin America, Colombia was the first to decriminalize the procedure in 1997, and Ecuador approved similar legislation in 2024.
Source: brasil247.com