Aldrin Ichuta advocates for euthanasia legalization in Bolivia

Aldrin Ichuta, a 20-year-old resident of El Alto suffering from aggressive bone cancer (osteosarcoma), is advocating for the legalization of euthanasia in Bolivia. Ichuta, who has been battling the disease for three years, has used social media to share his struggle with increasing paralysis, loss of sensation, and debilitating pain. He expressed a desire to set a precedent for other terminal patients, stating, “I am afraid of death, but what I fear most is leaving in pain, leaving suffering.”

The case has intensified the legislative debate regarding the “Palliative Care, Dignified Death, and Euthanasia Bill.” Currently under review by the Chamber of Deputies, the project was promoted by Deputy Diego Bráñez. The proposed law would restrict assisted death to terminally ill adults diagnosed with incurable diseases, requiring exhaustive medical and psychological evaluations along with independent medical certifications.

Legislators are working toward a potential consensus on the bill by the end of the year. Ichuta has called for empathy from authorities and requested a meeting with President Rodrigo Paz to share his testimony personally.