Ecuador Will Now Allow Euthanasia For People Who Are Terminally Ill And In Extreme Suffering
Ecuador will now allow euthanasia for people who are terminally ill and in extreme suffering.
Ecuador will now allow euthanasia for people who are terminally ill and in extreme suffering.
This comes after Paola Roldán, a terminally ill woman who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, brought forward a case.
42-year-old Roldán, who was married with a three-year-old son, had argued in August 2023 that she should be allowed to die with dignity.
She said that she wanted to “rest in peace” after going through the “painful, lonely and cruel” experience.
She said that the motor neuron disease has left her unable to move and dependent on a respirator.
On Feb. 7, Ecuador’s supreme court voted 7 to 2 to decriminalize euthanasia, becoming the 2nd Latin American country to do so.
This means Ecuador will no longer sentence doctors to 10 to 13 years in prison for helping people with terminal illnesses and in extreme suffering to die.
The court also gave lawmakers up to a year to prepare a bill with the details of the regulations and procedures for euthanasia.
After the verdict, Roldán said that it was a “very special moment for her”, adding that Ecuador had become a “little more welcoming, freer and more dignified”.
She died on March 11 due to natural causes, her lawyers said, according to local outlets.
