Sitting at the crossroads of tradition, ethics and animal rights, bullfighting continues to divide opinions in Mexico—often pitting older and younger generations against each other.
“It’s part of our heritage, and it would be a shame to see it disappear. Matadors spend years honing their skills,” says Armando Cienfuegos, a 53-year-old accountant from Guadalajara.
His 22-year-old daughter disagrees: “It’s just plain cruel. The bull is defenseless and always killed. There’s nothing noble about it.”
Ban and resumption
Animal rights advocates believed they had achieved a significant victory in November 2023 when a Jalisco judge suspended bullfighting in Guadalajara following an injunction filed by AnimaNaturalis, an international nonprofit animal rights organization.
However, almost a year later, an appeals court reversed the ban after a series of legal filings by Espectáculos de Monterrey (EMSA), owners of the Nuevo Progreso bullring.
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