Overview

• Mexico City lawmakers have implemented a ban prohibiting the piercing and killing of bulls during bullfights, allowing only non-violent events in the capital.
• Animal rights organizations, such as Cultura sin Tortura, have celebrated the ban and pledged to push for similar reforms in other parts of Mexico.
• Matadors and breeders argue the new restrictions undermine the ritualistic and cultural essence of bullfighting, which they view as sacred tradition.
• Bullfighting in Mexico, a practice rooted in 16th-century Spanish conquest and indigenous sacrificial rites, supports over 20,000 jobs and generates $400 million annually.
• As debates intensify, President López Obrador has proposed a referendum to determine the future of bullfighting in Mexico City, while several states consider adopting similar bans.