The Colombian man Victor Escobar, a 60 years old multi-disease patient, was one of the first Latin Americans to receive euthanasia without being terminally ill. In 2021, the euthanasia of the Colombian lady Marta Sepúlveda became news, due to the cancellation of her euthanasia and the following trial that led to the withdrawel of the cancellation.
Escobar wanted to be “a door” for other chronic patients to access assisted death, under the protection of a recent decision by the Colombian justice. Since that court ruling, three people with non-terminal diseases used it to end their lives but Escobar is the first to do so with cameras rolling so the public could witness it.
In October of last year a panel at the Imbanaco clinic rejected Escobar’s request for euthanasia, after two years of earlier petitions that were also rejected. The committee argued that Escobar was not terminal and there were still ways to try to alleviate his suffering. But Escobar appealed in court and won. The courts also granted permission for Sepulveda to die. Like Escobar she had gone public with her case.
Escobar died in the city of Cali with doctors present. The last footage of him alive shows him smiling and surrounded by family.
Colombia