Schiavo-Like Case of Purposeful Starvation in Chicago

According to Espinoza, a doctor disconnected the pump but left the tube in place with the hope that her husband would change his mind. She has apparently lived for the past four weeks on water alone.

Clara’s mother, Gregoria Ruano, is a member of Espinoza’s church and disagrees with her son-in-law’s decision. She, together with other family members, brought the situation to Espinoza's attention are seeking help from the community.

Espinoza, 68, is from Bolivia and was converted to Christianity by U.S. missionaries at a young age. He received theological training both in his native country and the United States and was sent to Chicago as a missionary to the Hispanic population approximately 30 years ago. He is the pastor of Iglesia Evangelica Hispana [Hispanic Evangelical Church at 4340 W. 87th St.] and serves as a hospital Chaplain.

He has only known Clara in her present state and has ministered to her mother and aunt for a little over one year.

Espinoza described Clara’s husband as resolute, claiming that Clara would not want to live in her present state. However, no documents exist that reflect this sentiment. “The only thing her husband is saying is that ‘I don’t think my wife would want to live as she is now. Her mother didn’t know about it,’” Espinoza explained.

Clara and her husband live with her mother and their two children, ages five and seven. The husband works full-time and Clara is cared for by her aunt, her mother and an outside caregiver. Until her nourishment was withheld she was in good health. “She is weak now but was very strong,” Espinoza said.

Members of her mother’s church regularly visit Clara and her family and Espinoza often meets with them to pray, sing and read the Bible.

When asked about Clara’s ability to respond Espinoza replied, “Last week when we were in her house we were singing and I talked to her and I said, ‘Can you hear me? If you can, close your eyes.’ And she did, she was responding.”

Espinoza said he has witnessed Clara react similarly to other questions.

According to Espinoza, Clara also moves her arms and her eyes and responds to her mother by moving her head. However, he was uncertain about her actual diagnosis. La Raza reported that her doctors determined her condition to be ”irreversible.”

Some suggest that Clara is being relieved from a life of suffering. To this Espinoza replies, “Is she suffering? For sure, NOW she is suffering,” Similarly, he doesn’t see a death precipitated by starvation as dignified. “We have to define dignity. Dignity for whom? For the husband? From the ethics perspective?” he stated. “Taking away her food for more than twenty days – what are they doing? They are killing her little by little, they are destroying her body … that is a crime … is that dignity?”

His motivations for fighting to keep Clara alive are two-fold. “First of all,” he explained, “Life has been given by God and only He has the power to take it away. Second, I am a chaplain in a local hospital and see a lot of people in this condition. This could affect them.”

He described one woman he regularly saw who was in the same condition as Clara yet now is talking, smiling, and singing. “She had a stroke,” he explained, “It took two years to recover.”

Espinoza sees his role clearly as a missionary and pastor to the Martinez family, and especially Clara. “As a minister I have a duty and responsibility to help people and teach the Word of God. This is not my opinion. I go by the Bible." He added that his ministry is to both the soul and the body.

After failing to convince Salvador that his decision to starve his wife was wrong, he attempted to contact television stations, including local Hispanic networks. “There was no interest,” he said. Finally, Jorge Medores editor of a Chicago Newspaper called “La Raza” picked up the story. Other media outlets are beginning to follow suit.

Earl Appleby, Director of Citizens United Resisting Euthanasia, has offered his services to the family. He writes, “May God bless Pastor Espinoza for raising his voice in defense of Clara Martinez's God-given right to life. Our compliments to Mr. Mederos and La Raza for exposing this covert crime in the making, which is no longer hidden thanks to their professional reporting.”

Source: BlogsforTerri

Earl gives an update on BlogsforTerri about Clara:

I just got off the phone speaking with Pastor Guillermo Espinoza, a godly man who is doing his best to defend the life of Clara Martinez.

A few clarifications around some of the details in response to questions raised in reponse to Tim's latest report below.

It appears that the family, including the mother lives in the husband's home. Moreover, there is a "caregiver" that presumably works for the husband. In CURE's experience, it would not be surprising if she were to act as the enforcer or, at any rate, the snitch for the husband. Speculative, no doubt, but not exactly a wild guess.

Pastor Espinoza again appealed to the husband's conscience within but a few hours, but his pleas fell on death ears. A "religious" man, Martinez is hell-bent to follow his murderous course, just as Michael Schiavo was.

Accordingly it is imperative to publicize this murder in the making as widely as possible, as was done to good end in protecting the life of Mae Magouirk.

Anyone in the Chicago area should make every effort to attend the prayer rally outside the crime scene tomorrow. If you have friends or family in the area, please contact them now!

Meanwhile, CURE is working behind the scenes on legal, media, and governmental venues. Stay tuned to Blogs for Terri for critical updates and keep your readers up to date, if you have a blog.

Pray and act for Clara!