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A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 31 december 2019
Sick woman campaigns for medically assisted suicide in Peru

By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO zerland. Eight U.S. states
Associated Press and Washington D.C. have
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Almost also legalized medically as-
completely paralyzed by a sisted suicide. In addition,
terminal illness, 42-year-old Montana doesn't have a
Peruvian Ana Estrada says specific law on the books
she is a "prisoner in her own but a state Supreme Court
body" and yearns to be le- ruling has allowed such
gally allowed to end her deaths to proceed.
own life. "If this exists in other coun-
But Peru doesn't permit tries, I want it to exist here,"
medically assisted suicide, Estrada said. She described
so Estrada is campaigning her struggle as "a tiny grain
for a change in the law of sand" that will hopefully
from the electric wheel- make people think about
chair in her Lima home. the issue.
"It's about fighting for the The walls of Estrada's bed-
right to choose," Estrada room have a picture of a
said in an interview with woman lying in a forest,
The Associated Press on her and another of a girl flying
patio, surrounded by pot- In this Dec. 18, 2019 photo, Ana Estrada a 42-year-old Peruvian psychologist sits inside her home with birds. She has seven
ted plants and small sculp- in Lima, Peru. tattoos - birds, plants, a
tures inspired by pre-Inca Associated Press dagger - that she says re-
art. She spoke with a feed- relationship and taking on with obstacles. No mem- seek a legal exemption for mind her that "life is beauti-
ing tube in her belly and a pet cat. Things changed ber of Peru's legislature has Estrada that would allow ful."
another tube inserted into in 2015. Her condition de- taken up her cause. In ad- her the option of medically Pneumologist Gonzalo
her windpipe to help her teriorated, she got pneu- dition Abortion and homo- assisted suicide. Gianella, who has treated
breathe. monia and spent a year sexual marriage are also il- "In Peru, 'mercy killing' is Estrada, said the illness
Estrada was diagnosed at in intensive care in a Lima legal in the mostly Catholic crime carrying three years was methodically shutting
the age of 14 with polymy- hospital. country. in jail, so any person or down her body because,
ositis, a disease that wastes "It's like being a prisoner "It's a subject that alarms doctor who wants to help without functioning mus-
away muscles and has no in my own body, 24 hours people and nobody her would be committing cles, "you begin to have
cure. By 20, she was too a day," said Estrada, who wants to put their hands a crime," Public Defender trouble speaking, swallow-
weak to walk and started needs round-the-clock in the fire because they'll Walter Gutiérrez said. ing, breathing, moving, do-
using a wheelchair. Even care. Her relationship col- get burned," said Estrada, "Her case won't change ing your things."
so, she graduated with a lapsed and she gave up whose family was initially the law, but it opens a Bath time was the worst
psychology degree from the cat for adoption, but reluctant to support her path," he said. moment for Estrada when
the Pontifical Catholic Uni- has found renewed pur- goal but now respects her Among those countries to she was in the hospital. One
versity of Peru and worked pose in pushing for the le- decision. have legalized euthanasia nurse held her and another
as a therapist. galization of physician-as- She has found an ally in the or medically assisted sui- cleaned her, speaking with
Estrada continued to build sisted suicide. public defender's office, cide are Belgium, Canada, each other but never look-
her life, saving money, buy- Like everything in Estrada's which plans to go to court Colombia, Luxembourg, ing at the patient to check
ing an apartment, having a life, the campaign is strewn in the coming weeks to the Netherlands, and Swit- if she was in pain.q

Bolivia says it’s expelling Mexican ambassador

Associated Press ernment has charged the government asked them to
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bo- former officials with sedi- leave.
livia's interim president says tion, terrorism and electoral Spain's interim government
her government is expelling fraud and has refused to al- said Monday that it was ex-
the top Mexican and Span- low them safe passage out pelling three Bolivian diplo-
ish diplomats in the country of the country. mats accredited in Spain in
over an alleged attempt The Bolivian government response to Bolivia's "hostile
by members of Bolivia's for- has accused Spanish dip- gesture."
mer government to leave lomats of trying to help It said that Spain "categori-
refuge in the Mexican em- the nine officials leave the cally rejects any hint about
bassy with Spanish help Mexican embassy on Fri- the alleged willingness to
and flee the country. day and says the Spaniards interfere in the internal po-
Spain expelled three Boliv- arrived at the embassy ac- litical affairs of Bolivia," and
ian officials Monday in re- companied by a group of called the allegations "con-
sponse. hooded Spanish security spiracy theories."
Interim President Jeanine People protest outside the residence of Mexico’s ambassador agents. Spain has denied A police union in Spain
Áñez said Ambassador with flags and signs, against officials of the previous Bolivian the charges. said that the agents from
María Teresa Mercado, the government who have taken refuge inside the residence in La "A serious violation has the national police force's
Spanish charge d'affaires Paz, Bolivia, late Friday, Dec. 27. 2019. been committed against Special Operations Group,
and the Spanish consul Associated Press Bolivian sovereignty and which provides diplomat-
were all declared persona democracy, which must be ic security, were partially
non grata and given 72 mer officials in the govern- can embassy after Morales respected," Áñez said. masked Friday to protest
hours to leave the country. ment of deposed Bolivian stepped down under pres- Six Spanish security offi- their identities for their own
The incident centers President Evo Morales who sure last month. cials departed Bolivia on security, a routine precau-
around a group of nine for- sought refuge in the Mexi- The acting Bolivian gov- Sunday after the Bolivian tion. q