On January 17, 2001, Vinicio Poblete Vilches was admitted to the Chilean public Hospital Sotero del Rio with severe respiratory failure. He was 76 years old and was sent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he was in an unconscious state for several days. He underwent surgery, was discharged and readmitted, and died in the hospital on February 7. The principal questions before the Inter-American Court were whether the state violated: 1) the human rights to health and life of Mr.