Colombia bans bullfighting: A win for animal rights

The use of animals for human needs has been a norm for centuries. Elephants transport heavy logs in Asia, horses carried knights during battles, and to this day, help in transporting people and goods. Dogs bravely search for the injured under rubble. Some animals, however, are used solely for entertainment purposes. Particularly harmed by culture are bulls, which die in arenas after brutal clashes with matadors. Not everyone agrees with the current state of affairs, where animals are killed for the joy of crowds.

On Monday, July 22, 2024, President of Colombia Gustavo Petro signed a document banning bullfights. He announced his decision at an animal fighting arena located in Bogotá. In his speech, Petro said: "Culture, and even more so the justice system, cannot say that killing sentient, living beings for pleasure is culture. If we play by killing animals, we will play by killing people."

In his speech, the president referred to a ruling by the Colombian Constitutional Court from 2018, which allowed bullfighting due to culture. The crowd gathered at the arena in Bogotá chanted a slogan that became the leading slogan of the changes, thanks to which no more bulls will die at the hands of matadors in Colombia. The gathered chanted: "Never again 'ole!'"

Influencer and activist against bullfighting, Luana Delgado, also spoke at the arena. She emphasized the significance of introducing the ban on animal fights: "In places where you saw blood, where you saw death, you will now see culture," said Delgado. She was referring to the adaptation of fighting arenas into cultural venues.

The new law will come into effect in 2027, giving arena owners time to transform their businesses into income-generating activities without harming animals.

Source: "SG News"