Carlos Framb y Carlos Mario González conversan acerca del acto de poner fin a la propia vida | BFK

On March 25, 2026, Carlos Framb and Carlos Mario González had a conversation about ending one's own life and helping a loved one do so when they have freely chosen and requested it. It was the end of 2007 when Carlos Framb, that immense Colombian poet and even more remarkable human being, received a request from his mother, with whom he shared an incredibly close bond of love, asking him to help her end her life. It had become a tormenting prison for her, afflicted as it was by the serious, progressive, and irreversible ailments of her advanced age, in addition to the agonizing sense of meaninglessness into which her existence had sunk. In a courageous act of love, Carlos prepared himself to do so, while also choosing, for well-considered personal reasons, to end his own life as well. His mother died, but, due to unforeseen circumstances, Carlos survived and had to face the ordeal of a serious criminal charge of homicide. Well, on this occasion I chose not to give my usual lecture on the last Wednesday of each month at the beautiful and welcoming Solar del Águila Cultural Center, and instead, to engage in a frank dialogue with Carlos about the social, philosophical, ethical, and legal implications of a person's will to end their own life and to assist a loved one who needs their company and affection in their final moments. We will also allow 30 minutes for a discussion with the audience. I hope we can meet then. Carlos Mario González Member of the Franz Kafka Library Foundation (BFK)