Colombian man felt tranquil before euthanasia ended his pain

CALI – For the archetypal clip successful years, Víctor Escobar stopped taking astir of the medicines needed for his lung disease. There was nary longer immoderate need. On Friday evening, helium became the archetypal Colombian to beryllium euthanized contempt not yet being successful terminal condition.

“I consciousness an immense tranquility. I don't consciousness fearfulness of what is to come," Escobar told The Associated Press this week. "They person told maine that the process is going to beryllium a dilatory sedation astatine archetypal truthful that I person clip to accidental goodbye.

“After that is the injection of the euthanasia, which is going to beryllium thing without symptom — a precise tranquil death. I spot successful God that that each this volition beryllium that way,” helium said successful a anemic dependable portion sitting connected a sofa successful the tiny location helium had been paying disconnected with a pension of $250 a month.

His lawyer, Luis Giraldo, said Friday evening that the process had been completed and Escobar was dead.

Escobar was the archetypal to usage a July ruling of the nation's apical tribunal that changed the rules for euthanasia, allowing it to beryllium applied to radical who endure aggravated carnal oregon intelligence suffering owed to a sedate and incurable disease, adjacent if they are not yet adjacent death.

Ad

His household declined to uncover the sanction of the session wherever the euthanasia took place.

The state depenalized euthanasia successful 1997, but lone for those considered to person less than six months to live. While polls bespeak astir Colombians favour expanding it to radical similar Escobar, the legislature truthful acold hasn't formally followed the court's pb by explicitly authorizing it and immoderate stay profoundly opposed.

The Catholic Church issued a connection successful July saying that “any enactment oregon omission with the volition of provoking decease to flooded symptom constitutes homicide.”

From the flat successful Cali, wherever helium was born, Escobar was conscious of the value of his case, the archetypal successful Latin America.

“It is the doorway truthful that a diligent similar me, with degenerative diseases, has the accidental for a dignified death,” helium said Thursday.

Even morphine was insufficient to calm his symptom and helium said different medications were losing their effects.

Ad

He had been sick since 2008, erstwhile 2 strokes outgo him the question of fractional his body, though immoderate of that returned. He aboriginal developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes, terrible arthrosis and costochondral junction syndrome — a achy inflammation wherever the ribs conscionable the breastbone.

Escobar fought to get euthanasia for much than 2 years. Judges doubly turned him down due to the fact that his illnesses were not yet considered terminal.

“It was a analyzable matter to face justice, the governmental parties, religion and galore almighty radical arsenic idiosyncratic who lone had (access to) communications media,,” said Giraldo, his attorney.

In an earlier case, a justice successful October had authorized voluntary euthanasia for Martha Sepúlveda, a pistillate suffering amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. But it was cancelled hours earlier the planned process erstwhile extended quality sum led the aesculapian committee astatine the session wherever it was to beryllium performed to alteration its mind.

Ad

Escobar said helium would accidental farewell to his wife, 3 children, member and cousins astatine a midday meal.

“I volition person the accidental that they springiness maine the warmth of the household and their accompaniment and besides that I tin convey them successful my ain name," helium said. “It volition beryllium a time of rejoicing for us, and I anticipation it volition beryllium thing precise private.”

Escobar said helium hoped his lawsuit would pb to existent legalization and regularisation of assisted decease for non-terminal patients. Legislation to bash truthful failed successful November.

“If we inquire for a dignified decease it is due to the fact that we are bushed of each the illnesses that flooded us," Escobar said. “For us, beingness ended a agelong clip ago.”

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.