The euthanasia show
It had been a long time since we had heard about Noelia's case in the media. A committee of experts authorized, almost two years ago, her right to assisted death due to her suffering. The father's legal battle, however, had prevented it until now. Two days before the euthanasia date, Sonsoles Ónega announced an interview with Noelia. She herself had requested to participate in the program.
Today, Antena 3 broadcast the result of the recording on a program famous for its sensationalism and lack of tact. What we saw was a mess.
The presenter's theatrical affectation already indicated an approach based on dramatics. “24 hours before dying, Noelia says goodbye”, she began by saying. She announced that what we were about to see would impress us. But what was most impressive was seeing a debate panel organized around the interview, with collaborators judging the young woman. “We are giving our opinion”, a panelist protested to justify himself. They turned euthanasia into this: into a show for and against. They stopped the interview every minute so that the guests could weigh in on the case. Sonsoles Ónega, who made tragic asides after hearing Noelia's words, periodically reminded us of the 24-hour countdown.
The program explained the circumstances of that situation very poorly, because it focused the story on emotional drama. With an unsettling close-up and sad piano music, they made Noelia explain all her childhood traumas related to family breakdown, the time spent in a foster home, her father's alcoholism, her mental health problems, the feeling of not belonging anywhere, suicide attempts, drug use... But the case was not explained from a professional and medical perspective according to the criteria of the committee of experts. Nor from a judicial point of view, which would have allowed for dissemination about euthanasia and how Noelia's rights had been violated in the last two years.
The images were accompanied by familiar scenes that were repeated in a loop: the mother and grandmother kissing her, the girl putting on makeup in front of the mirror, or trying to climb a staircase alone despite the difficulties caused by her spinal cord injury. The program led Noelia to manage details of her death: the girl told her mother, in front of the cameras, that she did not want her to be there at the time of the injection. She also said goodbye to her grandmother during the recording: “¿Do you want to take advantage of this moment to tell your grandma?”, the journalist asked her.
Noelia's decision is supported by a committee of experts. It is a right. However, the sensationalist and morbid approach of the program and the explanatory capacity of its protagonists will not help at all in the task of dissemination, so important and necessary, about the right to die with dignity.