BOGOTA
A Colombian constitutional court has overturned a prohibition on bullfighting in the capital of Bogotá that was passed by Mayor Gustavo Petro in 2012.
“Finally the court has ruled in favor of the interests of bullfighting, not in favor of the constitutional protection of nature and animals,” said Judge Maurico Gonzalez Cuervo during a press conference. Cuervo was involved in the decision and a confessed bullfighting aficionado.
As the ruling was made Tuesday night, those opposed to bullfighting were rallying signatures and calling for a popular vote to decide the future of the sport that they say was reinstated on a technicality.
“Our next move in this legal battle will be for the mayor to file for a invalidity of the ruling and he has three days in which to do this,” Andrea Pandilla of the animal rights group AnimaNaturalis told El Espectador newspaper. Padilla confirmed that along with other similar organizations, the group would be advising the mayor to reactivate his call for a popular vote on the issue.
“This can be resolved democratically by the voters by asking if the voters in Bogotá wish to see bullfighting continue,” she added. According to the group, polls indicate that more than 92 percent of Bogota’s residents are against bullfighting becasue of its cruelty to animals.
A group of bullfighters that has been on a hunger strike outside the Santamaria bullring in downtown Bogotá supported the court's decision but said that they will continue demonstrations until the mayor opens the arena and the fights begin.
“We celebrate this decision as it is a step in favor of what we do but the protest remains until the first bullfight commences. We hope that the mayor will respect the ruling,” said striking bullfighter Andrés Manrique to the media outside the Santamaria.
In the meantime, according to judge Cuervo, the mayor must, “make everything available to renew the bullfighting spectacle, employing contractual and administrative mechanisms to guarantee the continuity of bullfighting’s artistic expression.” The mayor has been given six months to return the sport to the city.
Despite the court’s decision, there is still a problem with the legality of the return of bullfights to the Santamaria as the building is unfit for use and will remain under restoration for at least two years. Furthermore, Petro has failed to renew the lease for bullfighting at the site. A recent study produced by the mayor’s office shows that while 54 percent of Bogotanos agree with the prohibition on bullfighting, about 72 percent of those polled would prefer to see the Santamaria used for theatrical productions.
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