The Uruguayan Senate approved on October 15, 2025, the law known as “Dignified Death”, which enables euthanasia for adults over 18 who suffer from chronic, incurable, and irreversible diseases, accompanied by unbearable suffering. The initiative received 20 votes in favor and 11 against, thus becoming the first country in South America to legalize euthanasia through parliamentary means.
The Voice of the Church in the Face of the Death Law
The Uruguayan Episcopal Conference reacted immediately with a statement in which it denounced that the norm is not an act of compassion, but a capitulation to the culture of death. The bishops recalled that the country already bears one of the highest suicide rates in the region and serious shortcomings in mental health care, so approving a law that normalizes the elimination of human life in the name of “dignity” is, in their words, a dramatic contradiction.
“Every human life appears before us as something unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable”, they stated, warning that dignity does not depend on the state of health, age, or social condition. In the face of the political argument of “dignified death”, the prelates emphasized firmly: “Dying with dignity means dying without pain or poorly controlled suffering; dying at one's natural time, without unnecessarily shortening or postponing life; dying surrounded by loved ones, with freedom to speak about what one is experiencing”.
A Moral and Social Contradiction
In its message, the Uruguayan Church recalled that promoting euthanasia is to normalize the search for death as a way out of life situations that could be accompanied in other ways. What is urgent, they insist, is not to open the door to killing the sick, but to guarantee quality palliative care, adequate medical attention, and spiritual assistance that accompanies the person in the final passage of life.
The bishops assured that they will continue working for “the care of life and the dignity of each person”, supported by the Constitution and international treaties that protect the right to life as a fundamental principle.
The Challenge for Catholics
Beyond the parliamentary vote, the approval of this law marks a dark milestone on the continent. While speaking of freedom and autonomy, the Church reminds us that life is not a burden that can be disposed of at will, but a sacred gift that must be protected until the end. The bishops invited the faithful not to fall into despair, and to see even in the most painful moments an opportunity to discover the transcendent and profound meaning of existence.
With this law, Uruguay places itself at the forefront of the culture of death in Latin America. The bishops' response, clear and straightforward, has been to reaffirm that true dignity does not consist in hastening death, but in living accompanied, cared for, and sustained by Christian hope.
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