Costa Rica Dignified Death Bill Could Open the Door to Euthanasia Evangelical Alliance Warns

Costa Rica's Evangelical Alliance Fights "Dignified Death" Bill That Could Legalize Euthanasia

The Evangelical Alliance Federation of Costa Rica (FAEC) has issued a formal technical report opposing a proposed "dignified death" bill currently being debated in the nation's Legislative Assembly.

The federation, which represents evangelical churches across Costa Rica, warns that the legislation contains dangerous legal and ethical gaps that could allow third parties to influence end of life decisions and enable the withdrawal of life sustaining care far beyond what palliative guidelines permit.

One of the most alarming provisions, according to FAEC, is a clause that would exempt physicians from criminal liability if they act out of "compassion." The alliance calls this term "subjective" and warns it "could lead to legal impunity" in cases where doctors withdraw life sustaining treatments outside of strictly defined palliative care.

Life is a gift from God with inherent value regardless of health status. Who should determine when a life is no longer worth living?

The federation says the bill also fails to clearly distinguish between burdensome medical interventions and basic life sustaining care, opening the door to practices that mirror euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Rather than advancing the current legislation, FAEC has urged Costa Rican lawmakers to take a different path: strengthen the nation's palliative care systems, ensure universal access to pain management, implement psychological and spiritual support programs, and protect healthcare professionals' right to conscientious objection.

The debate comes on the heels of President Rodrigo Chaves' 2025 decision to restrict abortion access to life threatening cases, a move celebrated by the Evangelical Alliance as "a firm step toward protecting life."

Why Costa Rica's Evangelicals Say the "Dignified Death" Bill Threatens the Sanctity of Life

FAEC's position reflects a broader concern among Latin American evangelicals that "compassion" language in legislation can be weaponized to normalize euthanasia. The federation insists the law should focus on protecting life at all stages, from conception to natural death, and reject any "quality of life" criteria that could justify hastening a patient's end.

The Crusader's Opinion

When a government starts deciding which lives are "dignified" enough to keep living, you are no longer in the realm of healthcare. You are in the realm of playing God. The fact that this bill would let a doctor escape criminal charges by claiming "compassion" should terrify every Christian in Costa Rica and beyond. Compassion does not kill the vulnerable. Compassion sits at a dying person's bedside, holds their hand, and manages their pain. The Evangelical Alliance is right to stand firm. Every single life belongs to God, and no legislature on earth has the authority to say otherwise.

Take Action

• Pray specifically for FAEC and Costa Rican lawmakers as they debate this bill. Ask God to protect the sanctity of life in Costa Rica's legal framework.
• Contact the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) and urge them to reject the "dignified death" bill: www.asamblea.go.cr
• Support the work of the Evangelical Alliance Federation of Costa Rica (FAEC) through their official channels: FAEC on Facebook
• Share this story with your church community and small groups. Start a conversation about how Christians should respond when governments redefine the value of human life.
• Support organizations defending the sanctity of life worldwide: www.TheShepherdsShield.org