Ecuador Decriminalizes Euthanasia in Historic Ruling

The Constitutional Court's decision, prompted by a lawsuit from an ALS patient, marks Ecuador as the second Latin American country to legalize the practice.

Ecuador's Constitutional Court voted in favor of decriminalizing euthanasia, following a lawsuit by Paola Roldán, an ALS patient seeking the right to die with dignity.
The ruling, which cannot apply the penalty for homicide to doctors performing euthanasia, aims to preserve the right to a dignified life.
Lawmakers and health authorities are directed to draft guidelines for the practice within 12 months, with Roldán granted an expedited process.
The Roman Catholic Church in Ecuador, where most citizens are members, remains opposed to euthanasia.
Ecuador joins Colombia as the second country in Latin America to decriminalize euthanasia, with debates ongoing in Uruguay and Chile.