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QUITO, Ecuador (AP) \u2014 Ecuador\u2019s high court on Wednesday decriminalized euthanasia and ordered lawmakers and health officials to draft rules and regulations for the procedure.<\/p>\n
The decision of Ecuador\u2019s highest court came in response to a lawsuit from a terminally ill woman diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ASL, who had argued that she should be allowed to have death with dignity.<\/p>\n
In Latin America, Colombia previously had been the only country to decriminalize euthanasia, while Uruguay and Chile are debating the matter.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit in Ecuador was filed by Paola Rold\u00e1n in August 2023. She argued that a death with dignity is a right of \u201cthose who suffer and have suffered serious or incurable diseases.” She said they should be allowed to \u201cfreely and voluntarily to end their life\u201d to stop \u201cintense physical or emotional pain or suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rold\u00e1n, 42, began experiencing symptoms of ASL, which weakens muscles and impairs physical functions, in 2020.<\/p>\n
It’s not clear whether she will be able to benefit from Wednesday’s verdict because the court gave time frames of up to 12 months for the development of the appropriate procedures to implement the decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n