Mexico City is about to mark a historic milestone in bullfighting with the support of the capital's Congress and President Claudia Sheinbaum. A ruling was advanced that will allow bullfights to take place without blood or violence, eliminating the use of stabbing instruments and ensuring the integrity of the animals.
With nine votes in favor and none against, the Congress of CDMX greenlighted the initiative. It established that in bullfighting celebrations, no banderillas, stabbing, or killing by decapitation may be used. Bulls must wear protections on their horns to avoid injuries and, at the end of the event, will return to their place of origin.
This change seeks to balance respect for bullfighting culture with animal welfare. President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that the protection of animals is enshrined in the Constitution of CDMX and acknowledged the importance of bullfighting tradition in the country. "We seek a middle-ground solution that respects both positions," the president pointed out.
The coordinator of the Green Party, Jesús Sesma, considered it "a historic step in the protection of the rights of living beings." Severe economic penalties are stipulated for non-compliance, with fines between two thousand and three thousand times the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA) for each injured or dead animal in a bullfighting event.
This proposal, which takes references from models implemented in other countries like Colombia, will be debated again on March 18 in the full Congress of CDMX, where it could be established as a definitive regulation for the capital of the country. This change in bullfighting could set a precedent for other entities in Mexico and open the debate on modernizing this practice at the national level.
