Mexico City prohibits the traditional bullfighting of a violent option

In the largest bull wrestling city in the world’s largest bullfighting country, legislators in the city of Mexico voted with a overwhelming majority on Tuesday to ban traditional bullfighting-a step supported by the President of Mexico, Claudia Shinbom, but it was strongly opposed to supporters for centuries.

The legislation, which was approved by a 61-1 vote, prohibits a bulls or killing bulls for sports, in or outside the squares. What supporters call “bullfighting without violence” will be allowed, as the rules specify the period when the bull can be in the ring and limit the bull fighters to use the heads only.

“My heart always beats on animal welfare,” said xochitl bravo espinosa, a legislator in the city of Mexico who helped lead this effort.

But Mrs. Bravo Espinoza said that the legislators tried to find a balance in which the bulls could continue, and if it was modified, so that the people who gained a living from the industry could continue to work. She referred to people who sell equipment and food around La Plaza México, the largest bull wrestling square in the world, which opened in 1946 in the heart of the city and 42,000 people.

The bull’s wrestling supporters condemned the legislation, in protest outside the building of the Legislative Council of the city of Mexico on Tuesday morning.

“This is just the beginning of the battle for our bullfighting,” four bullfighting groups He said In a joint statement later in the day.

“There are a number of remaining questions about the implementation of the law, which is expected to enter into force in the coming days, and that the group planned to challenge legally.

in statement Before a vote on Tuesday, La Plaza México said that the proposal to change the bullfighting was “a clear threat against one of the most rooted cultural traditions in our country.” She said the changes “completely distort the essence and contradict the heart and origins of this tradition.”

The bullfighting was in a major legal battle center because of its return to Mexico City only last year. The Human Rights Group successfully convinced a federal judge in 2022 to agree to suspend the bulls in La Plaza México. But the scene officials appealed the decision, and the Supreme Court in Mexico The comment canceledPaving the way for bulls Back with a lot of noise In January 2024.

The bullfighting, which has spread by Spain throughout its colonies in Latin America in the fifteenth century, faced an increasing existential crisis over the years.

Although Firm decrease Throughout the contracts due to the ban and Deepening the oppositionThis practice continues in at least five other countries alongside Spain and Mexico: France, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, as the ban does not start Until 2027.

It was the first bull wrestling in Mexico in 1526, and more than 300 bullfighting squares left. But since 2013, five states of Mexico have banned the 31 bulls.

The battle on bullfighting has become a greater cultural war between the most modern traditions and opinions about the cruelty of animals.

According to the Legislative Commission in Mexico City, 168 bulls and guidance were killed in La Plaza Mexico in 2019. Supporters of tradition, which represents a very small percentage of all bulls born in Mexico, and that the bullfighting industry creates tens of thousands of jobs in the country.

The new legislation decided that bull fighters would only be allowed to use the traditional and smaller red head to seduce the bulls. He also decided that individual bull battles only last 15 minutes, with six bull battles only for each event.

Mayor Clara Brogada from Mexico City, who suggested the option free of violence, Welcoming Tuesday vote with “great happiness”. In recent days, Mrs. Shinbom said she was also supporting the battles free of violence and The name They “are a very important step.”

Some animal rights groups also praised the legislation – but they argued that they did not go enough.

“Non -bloody bullfighting is just the beginning”, ” He said Animal heroes, an organization that started the “Mexico without bullfighting” campaign six years ago. “We will continue to fight until we achieve its complete cancellation.”

Mrs. Bravo Espinoza, the legislator, said that within seven months, the city government will issue new bullfighting regulations, with inputs from all parties, on how to hold new bull events.