On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, Uruguay made history by becoming the first country in Latin America to legalize euthanasia through a legislative process, following a lengthy and passionate debate in the nation’s Senate. After eight years of deliberation, the so-called “Dignified Death” bill was passed with 20 votes out of 31, marking a watershed moment for the region and setting Uruguay apart as a pioneer in socially progressive lawmaking.
The new law allows mentally sound adults suffering from terminal, incurable, and irreversible illnesses to opt for assisted death, provided they have given their express and repeated consent. According to BBC, the bill specifies that euthanasia must be performed by a healthcare professional and that the process should ensure the patient’s death is “painless, peaceful, and respectful.”
Uruguay’s legislative journey toward legalizing euthanasia has been anything but straightforward. The bill had previously been passed by the lower house in August 2025 with 64 votes out of 93, and its ultimate approval in the Senate came after a marathon 10-hour debate. The ruling Frente Amplio (FA) party, along with lawmakers from the Colorado Party and the National Party, provided the necessary support to push the bill over the finish line, as reported by Ámbito and ACI Prensa.
Senator Daniel Borbonet of the FA, addressing his colleagues during the Senate session, made an impassioned plea: “The law will not cause an increase in death wishes. The law will alleviate the anguish of all those who have lived through similar experiences and will make that part of their lives more dignified, human beings more free, and the Uruguayan state more democratic.” He also emphasized, “This law does not force anyone” to undergo euthanasia, but rather “offers an alternative that currently doesn’t exist.”
For Uruguay, this is another step in a long tradition of socially liberal reforms. The country already stands out in Latin America for legalizing marijuana, same-sex marriage, and abortion long before many of its neighbors. According to BBC, public opinion has also played a significant role: a recent survey by the consulting firm Cifra found that 62% of Uruguayans supported the legalization of euthanasia. Senator Patricia Kramer, representing the governing leftist coalition, told lawmakers in Montevideo, “Public opinion is asking us to take this on.”
The law is clear about who qualifies. Any person over the age of 18, whether a Uruguayan citizen or a foreign resident, who “suffers from one or more chronic, incurable, and irreversible pathologies or health conditions that seriously impair their quality of life, causing unbearable suffering” can request euthanasia. The request must be made personally and in writing, ensuring that the decision is both deliberate and voluntary. The law’s safeguards are designed to prevent abuse and to ensure that only those who are truly suffering and mentally competent can access the procedure.
Reactions to the law’s passage have been deeply emotional, reflecting the gravity and complexity of the issue. As senators cast their votes, some onlookers in the gallery shouted “murderers,” a stark reminder of the strong opposition that remains. The most vocal resistance has come from the Catholic Church. Earlier this month, Archbishop Daniel Sturla of Montevideo told the Catholic News Agency that the bill “instead of contributing to valuing life, contributes to thinking that some lives are disposable, and that is why we believe it is fundamentally bad.”
The Uruguayan Bishops’ Conference released a statement after the Senate vote, lamenting what they described as a promotion of the “culture of death.” The bishops expressed concern that, in a country with a high suicide rate and serious mental health challenges, the law “goes against the value and dignity of human life and puts us on a risky path of normalizing the search for death as a solution to life situations that can be addressed in other ways.” They reiterated, “Every human life appears before us as something unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable; its value is independent of health status, ethnicity, sex, culture, socioeconomic status, or any other circumstance.”
The bishops also advocated for a different understanding of dying with dignity: “Dying with dignity means dying without pain or other poorly controlled symptoms; dying in one’s natural time, without life being unnecessarily shortened or prolonged; dying surrounded by the love of family and friends; dying with the opportunity to have been adequately informed, choosing, if possible, the place (hospital or home) and participating in all important decisions that affect one; dying with the spiritual support one needs.”
Despite the opposition, there are many Uruguayans who see the law as a victory for compassion and personal autonomy. Beatriz Gelós, a 71-year-old woman who has been living with ALS for two decades, told AFP that the law was “compassionate, very humane.” She added, “Opponents have no idea what it’s like to live like this.” Her words echo the sentiments of many patients and advocates who have pushed for the right to end their suffering on their own terms.
It’s important to note that Uruguay’s approach stands in contrast to other Latin American countries. While Colombia and Ecuador have decriminalized euthanasia, they did so through Supreme Court decisions rather than legislative action. Uruguay’s Congress is the first in the region to pass a law regulating assisted death, making the process more transparent and accountable.
With the Senate’s approval, the bill now heads to the desk of President Yamandú Orsi, a member of the Broad Front, who has the power to sign the bill into law or issue a veto, either in part or in full. Given the political support behind the measure, most observers expect the president to ratify the bill, paving the way for implementation.
As Uruguay moves forward, the nation’s experience will be closely watched by its neighbors and by countries around the world grappling with the ethical, legal, and medical complexities of end-of-life care. For now, Uruguay’s decision stands as a milestone in the ongoing debate over autonomy, dignity, and the right to choose how—and when—one’s life should end.