In which countries bullfighting is still legal?

(CNN Spanish) — Bullfights returned this Sunday to Plaza de Toros Mexico, the country’s main bullring in the Mexican capital, after the Supreme Court lifted the suspension that had put them under arrest for more than a year. The decision was controversial and animal rights activists believe that bullfighting reflects inherent cruelty to animals.

The suspension was granted in May 2022 by a federal judge, who accepted the injunction promoted by the non-governmental organization Just Justice. In its appeal, the association argued that bullfighting impinges on the right to a healthy environment as it harms animal welfare.

However, in its analysis of the case, the Second Chamber of the SCJN concluded that Justice could not demonstrate “the existence of imminent and irreparable harm”.

The Animal Heroes organization believes the decision by the nation’s highest court represents a setback in the defense of animal rights.

Jeronimo Sanchez, director general of Animal Husbandry, told CNN, “We see this court resolution as a step back that we can use to gain momentum and achieve the goal of prohibiting the torture of animals for entertainment and We are also going to work more strongly and motivated.” Defense Organisation, in December last year.

Bullfights have been debated before in Colombia. In 2022, at least 4 people died and more than 300 were injured when eight boxes fell on a plaza in El Espinal in the Tolima department during Corraleja.

After the incident, one of the public figures who spoke out about the incident was Colombia’s elected President Gustavo Petro, who in a tweet asked “mayors not to allow any more spectacles with the death of people or animals “

Animal defense organizations such as Animal Heroes echoed Petro’s comments.

He wrote, “President-elect @petrogustavo requested ‘not to authorize any more shows involving the death of people or animals’. Bullfighting must end!” Animal Heroes on Twitter,

This is a highly controversial issue in Colombia, as bullfighting is a culturally rooted practice. In fact, the South American country is one of only eight countries in the world where bullfighting remains legal.

Countries where bullfighting is still legal

According to the Humane Society International organization, besides Colombia, there are seven other countries where bullfighting is legal:

• Ecuador
• spain
• France
• Mexico
• peru
• portugal
• Venezuela

Legality is not complete in these countries. For example, the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Sonora, Guerrero, Coahuila and Quintana Roo have banned bullfighting. Despite this, Mexico is made up of 32 states, so bullfighting is still widely available as elsewhere.

The situation is even more deeply rooted in Spain, where bullfighting is regulated and protected by three general laws and two decisions of the Constitutional Court (one of which lifted the ban on bullfighting in Catalonia), as revealed by the media. Let’s go. Local El Pais.

Another example: In addition to Petro’s comments on Sunday, a bill in Colombia that would have banned bullfighting nationwide a few days ago sank due to lack of discussion in the Senate.

Therefore, with or without restrictions, the outlook for bullfighting remains favorable in these eight countries.

With information from Natalia Cano