Colombia’s lawmakers decided on Tuesday to stop bullfighting in the country, which is a big change for a tradition that has been around for a long time. Bullfighting has caused disagreement in the countries where it is still done, but it has also influenced art and music.
The bill wants to stop bullfights within three years, so they would be illegal by 2028. The Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has always been against these events, now needs to sign the new law.
Bullfighting started in Spain and is still allowed in a few countries like France, Portugal, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico.
It used to be a big show that lots of TV channels showed live. Many people now think it’s wrong to make animals suffer for entertainment, so the tradition is being questioned.
“This ban is a big win for groups that have been working to change society and stop violence against animals,” said Terry Hurtado, who is an animal rights supporter and city council member in Cali. He has been leading protests against bullfights since the 1990s. “I’m happy that in Colombia, bulls and horses won’t be hurt in bullfights anymore and kids won’t see it happening. ”
In bullfights, a matador goes against bulls that are specially raised to be mean and aggressive. The matador waves a red cape at the bull and then stabs it with a sword after it has already been hurt with other weapons and is tired from running in circles.
In Colombia, bullfights have been happening since a long time ago. But now, only a few towns still have them. One of these towns is Manizales, where many people come to watch the bullfights every year.
Fans of bullfighting said that stopping it is an attack on the rights of a small group of people and will cause issues for cities that make money from these events.
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Congress of Colombia votes to outlaw bullfighting
