Spain has canceled its yearly bullfighting prize on Friday. This caused anger from conservatives who believe it is an ancient art but also raised worries about how the animals are treated.
Some people think Spanish-style bullfighting is an important tradition, but others say it’s a cruel and unnecessary ritual. In this event, a matador in fancy clothing kills the bull with a sword.
The Culture Ministry said it decided to get rid of the award because people in Spain are more concerned about animals and not as many people are going to bullfights.
“I believe most Spaniards feel frustrated and confused about why animal cruelty is still happening in our country, and even more so why it’s being supported with public funds,” explained Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun on X.
The national award was a check for 30,000 euros (about $32,217) from the government. It was given to well-known bullfighters like Julian Lopez, also known as “El Juli,” or to groups that are connected to bullfighting.
This has recently become a big problem in Spain’s culture battles. On one side are left-wing groups like Sumar, where Urtasun belongs. On the other side are right-wing conservatives who want to keep the tradition.
Borja Semper, who speaks for the opposition conservative People’s Party, told reporters that the government’s decision shows it doesn’t support cultural diversity or freedom, and that his party would bring back the award if they become the ruling party again.
Jorge Azcon, who is the leader of the PP party in Aragon, announced that they will create a new award. He said that tradition should bring us together, not separate us.
More and more people in Latin America and southern France are against bullfighting, even though it was brought to those regions many years ago.
In Spain, fewer people are interested in bullfighting, and the number of bullfighting festivals has decreased by one third between 2010 and 2023.
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Spain removes national bullfighting trophy as part of cultural change
