A 69-year-old woman with terminal cancer became the first person in Uruguay to die by legal euthanasia on May 22 — one month after the country’s “Dignified Death” law came into force.
Uruguay passed the Dignified Death bill in October 2025, making it the first country in Latin America to legalize assisted dying through legislation. The law permits euthanasia for adult citizens or residents who are mentally competent and in the terminal stage of an incurable disease.
Leftist lawmaker Federico Preve hailed the death as “a very important, symbolic day for the country.”
Supporters describe euthanasia as “peaceful,” but the drugs used are paralytic and can mask any pain or distress the patient is experiencing — meaning visible tranquility does not confirm the absence of suffering.
Most opposition in Uruguay came from the Catholic Church. Archbishop of Montevideo Daniel Sturla called on Uruguayans “to defend the gift of life and to remember that every person deserves to be cared for, accompanied and supported until the end.” Uruguay has previously legalized marijuana, same-sex marriage, and abortion ahead of most of the region. Secularization has eroded resistance to assisted dying in a country that officially bans any mention of God in oaths of office and calls Christmas “Family Day.”
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