Congress votes to outlaw bullfighting in Colombia after seven-year fight to ban the tradition that dates back to colonial times
Colombia’s Congress has voted to ban bullfighting in the South American country, but some political and social groups vow to fight the ruling because of its cultural value.
The measure was adopted on Tuesday, with 93 members of the House of Representatives voting in favor and two against.
According to the plans, bullfighting will be phased out over three years and officially banned in early 2028.
The law will also have to be signed by President Gustavo Petro, a fierce opponent of the sport.
Lawmakers have spent the past seven years trying to ban the tradition — which dates back to colonial times and has been hailed as the inspiration for countless books and songs.
A bull attacks a matador during a bullfighting event in Manizales, Colombia in November 2023. A bill to ban the ancient tradition was passed on Tuesday, with 93 members in the House of Representatives voting in favor and two against
Demonstrators held a protest against bullfighting in Bogotá, Colombia on May 7. The sign on the left says in Spanish: ‘I want Colombia without bullfighting! Torture, neither art nor culture’
Colombia’s Constitutional Court had urged Congress in recent years to issue a final settlement on the issue.
Bogotá representative Juan Carlos Losada praised the vote as progress in Colombia toward “respect and love for life.”
“Here is a country that says torture is not regulated, it is banned,” the liberal told reporters.
‘We have become a less violent and more civilized society. Today we are making a great leap forward in respect for life.’
Valle del Cauca representative Christian Garcés, who opposed the bill, tried to introduce a measure to find an alternative solution, emphasizing that the ban would have negative consequences for workers.
“It can’t just be banned because jobs are created here,” the Democrat said.
Bullfighting will cease to exist in Plaza de Santamaria in Bogotá, Colombia in early 2028
Animal rights activists form the word ‘Stop’ with their bodies during a protest against bullfighting in Medellín, Colombia in February 2012
Bullfighting originated on the Iberian Peninsula and is still legal in a handful of countries, including Spain, France and Portugal.
It is legal in Latin American countries like Peru, Ecuador and Mexico, but banned in other countries including Argentina and Cuba.
In bullfights, a matador faces bulls that are bred to be aggressive. The matador taunts the bull with a red cape and kills the animal with a sword blow after it is wounded.
Fewer than 20 municipalities in Colombia organize these events, although the annual bullfights in the western city of Manizales still attract tens of thousands of spectators.
Fans described the ban as an attack on the freedoms of minorities and as a problem for cities where these events attract thousands of visitors.
Matador Jelain Fresneda, also known by his bullfighting name ‘Gitanillo de America’, is gored during a bullfight at the Hacienda Vista Hermosa in Villapinzón, Colombia on February 25, 2023
The nearly unanimous vote left Simón Hoyos, a matador in Manizales, looking for answers.
“The truth is I couldn’t sleep last night, I feel violated and misunderstood,” Hoyos told W Radio.
“I don’t know how well captured the economic impacts we’re going to have; everyone who benefited from the bullfights will be affected.”
The sport was once a popular event broadcast live by multiple television networks.
People protest against bullfighting outside the Santa Maria bullring in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, on January 22, 2012. On Tuesday, Congress voted to ban bullfighting in the South American country.
However, the tradition has come under increasing scrutiny as attitudes towards animal welfare change, with many finding it unacceptable to see an animal suffer for the sake of entertainment.
“This ban is a huge victory for organizations that have worked to transform society and reject violence against animals,” said Terry Hurtado, an animal rights activist and city councilor in Cali who has led anti-bullfighting protests since the 1990s.
“I am relieved that bulls and horses (which also take part in some bullfights) will no longer be tortured in Colombia, and that children will no longer be exposed to this spectacle.”