The Orange Bench in the Congress of Mexico City presented an initiative to legalize the use of euthanasia in the capital of the country, benefiting adult patients in terminal phase. The proposal aims to guarantee a dignified and painless death without the need to criminalize people in this situation.
The initiative, proposed by the MC deputy, Patricia Urriza, has been supported by legislators from the Green Ecologist Party and the Labor Party. It seeks to reform various provisions of the General Health Law and the Federal Penal Code regarding dignified death. The goal is to improve the quality of life for terminal patients and provide access to euthanasia in Mexico.
According to Patricia Urriza, a study from the University of Guadalajara revealed that approximately 600,000 people in Mexico require palliative care annually, but only 3% of them receive it. This leads to neglect of the quality of life for terminal patients, as some conditions cause intense pain and cut life expectancy.
The proposal to legalize euthanasia has emerged in response to the lack of access and coverage of palliative care in the country. The deputy pointed out that seven out of ten Mexicans agree with euthanasia and advocate for it to be safely carried out in public institutions, removing its classification as a crime.
For the coordinator of the Movimiento Ciudadano bench, Royfid Torres, this initiative goes hand in hand with a care approach as dying with dignity is a fundamental human right. The proposal has been sent to the Health and Administration and Justice Procurement commissions for discussion and eventual approval.
