The Constitutional Court of Ecuador held this Monday a first and historic hearing where it discussed the eventual legalization of euthanasia in the country.
The reform is debated after the demand of Paola Roldán, a woman who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and who demands that the State guarantee her a dignified death.
The hearing, chaired by constitutional judge Enrique Herrería, heard the arguments of Roldán and his lawyers.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of recognizing people’s capacity to decide about the end of their life, in cases of irreversible and unbearable suffering, as is the case of Roldán.
“This is not the fight to die, I know that I am dying. It is a fight of how to do it. I am now here as Paola but in reality I am hundreds and hundreds of voices that today come out of the silence and show themselves next to me,” explains Paola Roldán.
Counterarguments related to legality, law and ethics were also presented, as well as the fear that people who assist others in cases of euthanasia will be sanctioned as murderers.
The Constitutional Court gave a period of 72 hours for other people and experts to present new arguments.
He is expected to issue a ruling in the coming days that could set a historic precedent.
