SPAIN-FLOOD ©(Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP via Getty Images)
Spanish officials have responded to the Trump administration’s probe of the death of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos, an alleged rape victim who was permitted to die by euthanasia.
Spain’s Health Minister Monica Garcia shared a screenshot of an El Mundo article discussing the probe in an April 1 post shared to her X account. Garcia said President Donald Trump should “stop feeding the ultra-international agenda by sticking his nose into every single place.”
“Spain is a serious country, with a solid healthcare system and a rights framework that protects and cares for all people, including those who choose to request help to die with dignity in legally regulated contexts, evaluated by clinical committees and endorsed by the courts,” Garcia continued, according to a translation of her post. In addition, she accused Trump of “[supporting and carrying out] human rights violations between Gaza and Iran.”
Similarly, Salvador Illa Roca, the president of the government of Catalonia, issued an April 1 statement defending Spain’s healthcare system.
“We will defend with all firmness the professionals of our healthcare system, both men and women, against any malicious attack that seeks to impair their value and performance. We defend the right to a dignified death after approving one of the most advanced and exemplary legal frameworks in the world,” he said.
Both officials’ statements follow instructions from the State Department to the U.S. Embassy in Madrid asking them to open an investigation into Spanish law enforcement’s handling of alleged gang rapes against Castillo Ramos ahead of her death, according to an exclusive report from the New York Post.
“We are deeply concerned by allegations that Ms. Castillo was repeatedly sexually assaulted while under state care and that no perpetrators have been brought to justice,” a leaked diplomatic cable obtained by the New York Post reads.
“We are also aware of reports that Ms. Castillo expressed hesitancy to undergo euthanasia in her final hours, but that these indications were ignored. This case raises serious concerns about the application of Spain’s euthanasia law, particularly in cases involving psychiatric conditions and non-terminal suffering,” the cable continued. (RELATED: Tragic Story Of 25-Year-Old Set To Be Killed Combines Two Worst Nightmares)
Castillo Ramos reportedly became paralyzed after attempting to commit suicide by jumping from a fifth-floor window in 2022. The incident also left her in constant pain. Castillo Ramos tried to take her own life after she was allegedly sexually assaulted. She qualified for euthanasia on the condition of severe mental suffering under the Organic Law on the Regulation of Euthanasia (LORE), which was passed in 2021, according to El Imparcial.
Castillo Ramos died by euthanasia on March 26 despite her parents’ objections, according to the National Catholic Register. The euthanasia procedure was expected to last around 15 minutes, and it involved three chemical substances.