MONTEVIDEO – In a significant legislative move, Uruguay’s senate on Wednesday approved a law that legalizes euthanasia, positioning the country among a select group of nations where terminally ill patients can choose to end their lives with medical assistance.

This makes Uruguay a pioneer in largely Catholic Latin America, being the first to enact such a law. In contrast, Colombia and Ecuador have taken similar steps through their judicial systems, with Supreme Court rulings decriminalizing euthanasia.

Elsewhere in the region, Chile’s President Gabriel Boric has recently rejuvenated efforts to pass a stalled euthanasia bill, underscoring the intense discussions and activism that have surged around this issue in recent times.

After five years of intermittent progress, the legislation finally reached a conclusion with 20 out of 31 senators endorsing the measure on Wednesday.

The proposal had previously gained substantial support in the lower house, passing with a considerable majority in August.

In Uruguay, the primary opposition to euthanasia stemmed from the Catholic Church. However, the nation’s trend toward secularism has diminished resistance, reflecting its cultural shift. Uruguay, with a population of 3.5 million, notably omits references to God in official oaths and has even renamed Christmas as “Family Day.”

The law’s passage cements Uruguay’s reputation as among the most socially liberal in the region. The country was first in the world to legalize marijuana for recreational use and passed pioneering legislation allowing same-sex marriage and abortion over a decade ago.

The legislation permits euthanasia, performed by a healthcare professional, but not assisted suicide, which involves a patient self-administering a lethal dose of prescribed medication.

Unlike laws in U.S. states, Australia and New Zealand restricting euthanasia to those with a life expectancy of no more than six months or a year, Uruguay sets no time limits. It also allows anyone suffering from an incurable illness that causes “unbearable suffering” to seek assisted death, even if their diagnosis is not terminal.

Uruguay requires that those seeking euthanasia be mentally competent. Although the law does not outright ban euthanasia for those with mental conditions like depression, it requires that patients get two doctors to rule that they are psychologically fit enough to make the decision.