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 sanction by President Yamandú Orsi, who has already expressed support for the bill. The information comes from g1.
The text was discussed over more than a decade and championed by the ruling coalition Frente Ampla, which had established the issue as one of the 15 legislative priorities for 2025. According to polls by consultancy firm Cifra, 62% of Uruguayans support legalization and only 24% oppose it.
How the law will work
According to the approved bill, only adults who are citizens or residents in Uruguay, in the terminal phase of an incurable disease or suffering unbearable pain that severely compromises their quality of life, will be able to request euthanasia. Another requirement is that the person be mentally fit to make the decision.
The process involves a series of steps, including the patient’s written statement 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 awaiting the new law
Among the first known cases is that of Beatriz Gelós, 71 years old, diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at 52. In an interview with AFP agency, she stated: “It would give me incredible peace if it were approved. It’s a compassionate law, very humane, very well written.” Beatriz, who now depends on a wheelchair, added: “The time has come. You have no idea what it’s like to live like this.” A retired teacher and grandmother, she emphasizes that the essential thing is to have the option to decide when to say enough.
Activist Florencia Salgueiro from the Empathy group also defended the measure. She recounted her father Pablo’s experience, who died at 57 from ALS without access to the procedure. “The key to regulation is respect for the adult’s wish to end their suffering,” she highlighted.
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 abortion decriminalization.
Even so, the issue divides opinions. The Catholic Church expressed “sadness” over the voting outcome and more than a dozen civil 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 the decision, Uruguay joins a select group of countries that allow euthanasia, including Canada, Spain, the 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