Mexico City passed legislation that bans violent bullfighting, a spectacle with a long history and controversy. The vote passed by a margin of 61-1. As animal rights activists celebrate, bullfighting supporters protest the local Congress. Many are frustrated by the sudden loss of national identity, and livelihood. They waved signs that read “Being a fan of la fiesta brava (bullfighting) is not a crime, it’s a point of pride.”
Mexico City bans bullfighting
“It was either this or nothing,” said Sofía Morín, an animal rights activist with Culture Without Torture, Mexico Without Bullfighting. “We prefer this because, without a doubt; it’s a huge step in protecting animals.” The legislation rewrites the rules of bullfighting by removing the bloodshed, based on the “bullfighting without violence” initiative. The new laws prohibit the killing of bulls and the use of weapons. It also limits how long bulls can stay in the ring, capping their appearance to 15 minutes.
Animal rights groups have lobbied against the sport for decades, pointing out that 180,000 bulls are killed annually in these shows. Mayor Clara Brugada showed support for the changes, saying it would turn Mexico City into a place “that respects the rights of animals.” Until now, the city had housed the largest bullring in the world. She says they can no longer allow “cruelty as a spectacle, much less the long pain and death of an animal for entertainment.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum supported the legislation, calling it a “good solution” to maintain the economic support of the bullfighting industry while ceasing animal abuse. Although animal rights activists celebrate, not all are satisfied. Anton Aguilar, executive director of Humane World for Animals Mexico, called the ban “an important step toward eradicating the torment and killing of animals for entertainment.” However, it doesn’t completely negate the animal abuse involved since “a bull event without violence does not mean one without suffering, as bulls will still be subjected to significant and completely unnecessary stress,” reports Interesting Engineering.
The backlash against the ban
This isn’t the first bullfighting ban in Mexico City. In June 2022, a local judge outlawed the sport and shut down the world’s largest area. The judge had ruled that the fights violated the citizens’ rights to a healthy and violence-free environment. The bullfighting industry suffered a large economic blow that negatively affected the city.
The National Association of Breeders of Fighting Bulls in Mexico reports that bullfighting generated about 80,000 direct jobs and 146,000 indirect jobs. It contributes around $400 million to the economy every year. But in 2023, Mexico’s Supreme Court removed the ban without any explanation and the fights resumed — until the newest legislation. However, many current protesters had depended on the spectacles for their livelihood. Demonstrator Juan Pablo Pimienta had shouted through a megaphone, “It’s an activity where the fighting bull dies in a bullring. That’s its nature. …It is a beast.”
The future of bullfighting
Lawmaker Victor Hugo Romo de Vivar said their intention was “not to make bullfighting disappear, but evolve.” Similarly, Green Party lawmaker Jesús Sesma responded to these concerns in a speech before Congress, reports CBS News. “To those families who feel frustrated today, we’re here to say that no one lost their job,” he said. “There was a middle ground to continue with these bullfighting spectacles, but now without violence.”
Traditionally, bullfighting is seen as a mix of a sport and performance art. Matadores, also known as toreros, attempt to subdue or kill a bull in a ring using lances, barbed sticks, or a sword. While the spectacle is usually fatal for the bulls, matadors are in danger of being gored. In 2021, a non-violent version began in California to maintain the Portugese tradition without the violence. It involved the bulls wearing Velcro on their back while the participants tried to stick poles onto it. Then the matadores attempt to literally grab the bull by the horns, which are covered for their protection. This may be the direction Mexico City is taking for future bullfighting, since weapons are now banned from the ring.
“The spectacle of blood cannot be justified under any concept of art and tradition,” said Brugada, according to the Guardian. “Some will argue that it is part of traditions and culture, but culture, music and art, even rights, change, evolve, transform. We big cities are obliged to transform at the same time. Animal welfare is a right and a duty for society.”
Read More: 8 Ethical Reasons to Skip the Animal Circus