Ecuador Legalizes Active Euthanasia: What You Need to Know

The Constitutional Court of Ecuador has issued a historic ruling—No. 67-23-IN/24—legalizing active euthanasia in cases of severe illness or irreversible injury, and setting provisional rules for its application. While the Court affirms the right to a dignified life and personal autonomy, it stops short of recognizing the right to die with dignity, breaking from Colombia’s legal approach. The decision also draws a controversial distinction between active and passive euthanasia—one critics say creates ethical and legal contradictions, since both share the same ultimate goal: to relieve suffering and hasten death in a compassionate context. Why it matters: This is not just a change in law—it’s a turning point in the debate on human dignity, patient autonomy, and medical ethics in Latin America.

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