Latin America’s First Euthanasia Law is passed in the Uruguayan Senate.

Uruguay made history on Wednesday, the 15th October by becoming the first country in Latin America to legalise euthanasia through legislation, joining the small group of nations in the world that allow and regulate the right to die with dignity.

With 20 votes in favour out of a total of 31, the Senate approved the Dignified Death Law, which authorises Euthanasia in cases of incurable disease or extreme suffering. The vote was supported by the entire progressive bloc of the Frente Amplio, as well as two senators from the Colorado Party and one Senator from the National Party, both centre-right.

The bill, which had been through five years of legislative proceedings, had been approved by the Chamber of Deputies in 2022, and had obtained preliminary approval last August. With this vote, Uruguay joins countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Canada, where euthanasia is regulated under strict medical and ethical conditions.

The law would allow any Uruguayan citizen or legal resident, of legal age and sound mind, to request euthanasia if they suffer from an incurable and irreversible illness or unbearable suffering that causes a severe deterioration in their quality of life.

“It’s a powerful, profound, and sensible bill”, said Federico Preve, a neurologist and lawmaker from the Broad Front, one of its main proponents. “It recognises a human right to die with dignity, with clear guarantees based on international experience”.

The legislative advance comes amid growing social support. According to a Cifra poll, 62% of Uruguayans favour legalising Euthanasia. Beyond statistics, the debate has been humanised through stories like that of Florencia Salgueiro, daughter of a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who died in 2020 without access to this right.

“My father asked to die with lucidity. His end was torture”, said Salgueiro, now part of Empatía, a group of families and patients advocating for the law. “We fight so that no one else has to go through the same suffering.”

Another key voice is Beatriz Gelós, also diagnosed with ALS. Speaking from a nursing home in Montevideo, she said: “I fight for everyone’s right to choose individually. I want the peace of mind that a dignified death law would bring me. No more suffering, as I can’t take it anymore”.

The bill reaches the Senate after years of failed attempts. It was originally introduced by former Colorado Party lawmaker Ope Pasquet, who took a Senate seat this Wednesday to defend it: “There is no dignity without freedom. No one will be forced to die, nor prevented from doing so if they suffer without remedy. It’s freedom to choose, that’s what we demand”.

However, the strongest opposition comes from Prudencia Uruguay, a civic group that argues the bill “discriminates against the most vulnerable and lacks sufficient safeguards. What’s at stake are two different conceptions of human rights”, said spokesperson Miguel Pastorino.

Now after it has been passed, Uruguay becomes the first Latin American country to legalise euthanasia through legislation, distinguishing itself from Colombia and Ecuador, where the practice was decriminalised by court rulings.

“The bill doesn’t impose beliefs; it grants freedom”, concluded Federico Preve. “Those who wish to exercise this right will be able to do so. Those who don’t, won’t. With this law, Uruguay will be a more humane, compassionate, and freer country”.

Team Maverick