Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years

By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO
Associated Press

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A Peruvian psychologist who had an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and left her bedridden for several years died by euthanasia. Ana Estrada is the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance. She had fought for years in Peruvian courts for the right to die with dignity, and became a celebrity in the conservative country where euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal. In 2022, Estrada was granted an exception by the nation’s Supreme Court, which upheld a ruling by a lower court that gave Estrada the right to decide when to end her life. It also said that those who helped her would not be punished.