The ‘Death with Dignity’ bill was drafted with clear guarantees to protect patients.
On Wednesday, Uruguayan Senator Daniel Borbonet emphasized the responsibility of legislating on a human right. He remarked that the bill does not impose any specific behavior or replace existing laws, but rather offers a legal alternative for those facing incurable illnesses and unbearable suffering.
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The senator explained that the bill was widely debated in the Chamber of Deputies and was drafted with clear guarantees to protect patients. Trust is placed in medical professionals and healthcare teams. Borbonet affirmed that there is majority support from society and that the passage of the bill is a debt to the patients and their families who await this legislation.
The law establishes that Uruguayan citizens or habitual residents of the country may apply. It details the procedure: a written request to the attending physician, evaluation of conditions, a second medical opinion or Medical Board, and the expression of final wishes before witnesses. The doctor will carry out the decision at the time and place indicated by the patient.
The bill contemplates the application of euthanasia to mentally fit adults with chronic, incurable, or irreversible pathologies that seriously impairs their quality of life. The goal is a painless and peaceful death. Deputy of the Frente Amplio party, Federico Preve described it as powerful and sensible, based on international legislation that has been in force for more than two decades.
The text reads, “The Dignified Death Law regulating euthanasia was approved with 64 votes out of 93. It’s for these people and many more. That’s what this law is about: the right to die with dignity. It’s about love, humanity, and empathy. It’s about people with terrible illnesses and suffering. It’s for them. This is Uruguay, once again, a benchmark country for rights.”
Uruguay would become the first country in Latin America to legalize euthanasia. The Chamber of Deputies approved the bill in August with multi-party support and in the Senate, the Frente Amplio party holds a majority. The vote will be divided between the National and Colorado parties, although some opposition legislators have announced their support for the initiative.
In the Americas, Colombia decriminalized euthanasia in 1997 by constitutional ruling, although the first legal application was in 2015. Since 2021, it is also permitted in non-terminal cases. Canada legalized it in 2016 following a Supreme Court ruling. Peru and Ecuador authorized the procedure in 2022 through judicial and constitutional decisions, respectively.
Beatriz Gelos, a 71-year-old retired teacher and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient for 19 years, attended the legislative debate and her presence at the polls of the Legislative Palace symbolized the public’s support for the bill.
