Euthanasia in Uruguay
* school geography project1. Human Geo Project
1.1. Article Information
The article "Uruguay becomes first country in Latin America to decriminalize euthanasia" was edited by Gavin Blackburn and published by Euronews on 2025-10-16. You can find the article here:
\tiny{\url{https://www.euronews.com/2025/10/16/uruguay-becomes-first-country-in-latin-america-to-decriminalise-euthanasia}}
1.2. Summary
- WHO
- Government of Uruguay
- Terminally ill adults
- Medical professionals
- WHAT:
- Euthanasia decriminalized through national law
- WHEN:
- October 2025
- WHERE:
- Uruguay(legislation debated nationally)
- WHY:
- To offer a compassionate, regulated option at the end of life
- HOW:
- Passed through national legislation
1.3. Background Information
- Colombia (1997) & Ecuador (2024): court rulings
- Uruguay: full legislative system
1.4. Significance
- Not limited to wealthy Western countries
- Respects personal choice at end of life
- Protects vulnerable people through safeguards
- Forces society to confront:
- life
- death
- medical responsibility
1.5. Connection to Geography
- Unit 2: Human Geography
- Government Services p.92
- Population Policies & Trends p.48
1.6. Connection Explanation
- Connection:
- Euthanasia = healthcare service
- Influenced by culture, politics, demographics
- Aging population plays a role
1.7. Discussion questions:
- One
What does it mean to respect human dignity at the end of life?(Autonomy, relational, or ?)
- Two
Is choosing death in cases of extreme suffering an expression of freedom, or does it tell us that freedom has already been lost?(Is this a final assertion, or is this choice shaped by suffering/fear and not fully free?)
- Three
Does legalizing euthanasia change our moral expectations of the sick, the elderly, or the dependent?(Do we need to justify continued existence, especially when care is costly. Can permission become social expectation?)
2. Elsewhere
2.1. References
2.2. In my garden
Notes that link to this note (AKA backlinks).