Following Bogota’s lead, the mayor of Medellin said he would cut funding for bullfights, local media reported Friday.
On June 13, Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro said he would ban bullfighting and convert the city’s bullfighting arena into an educational space. His announcement followed the Bogota Bullfighting Corporation’s refusal to stop killing bulls at the end of the show.
Medellin’s mayor, Anibal Gaviria, said he would continue to seek pledges from local bullfighting groups to end animal cruelty at the events. But he did not commit to sanctioning the shows’ organizers if they continued to kill the bulls, El Tiempo newspaper reported.
“Medellin wants to be a leader in the process toward bloodless bullfights,” Gaviria told Caracol Radio, saying the city could serve as an example for Colombia and Latin America.
The United States and Europe have already banned the practice, he added.”They have found a way to avoid sacrificing both the bull and the beautiful elements of the show,” he said. “The only thing to go has been death and cruelty.”