Well over a hundred protestors recently lined the streets surrounding Mérida’s bullfighting ring, demanding an end to the barbaric blood sport. Chants ranging from “torture is not culture” to “murder in plain sight” could be heard from blocks away as they attempted to dissuade folks from entering the ring.
Melchor, one of the bullfighters, defensively snapped back: “I am doing what I love, what my father did and my grandfather before me. You eat meat, right? What is the difference?”
The protestors at the bullfighting ring belonged to several animal-welfare organizations and united in their desire to end bullfighting in Yucatán. Bullfights are already outlawed in countries that include Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, only “bloodless” bullfighting — where the bull gets away alive — is allowed.
But it would seem attitudes in Mexico, and in Yucatán more specifically, are beginning to shift. In a recent poll by Reforma, 62% of Mexicans said that they would like to see an end to the practice, a 3% jump since the poll was last conducted in 2018.
“There is no room for this kind of cruelty in our society,” said Noemi, a protestor from the local NGO, Protección Animal. Several protestors also took the opportunity to make their voices heard regarding other animal rights issues, including the continued use of horse-drawn carriages.
But despite the protests, the attendees making their way into the bullfight seemed overjoyed, with phrases like “its so good to be back” being heard again and again.
The electric atmosphere was undeniable, despite both the protests outside and the macabre tradition inside.
Another off aspect of the spectacle was the presence of children both outside protesting and inside the bullfighting ring, with each side claiming the children of Yucatán were on their side.
On the street outside, a small child identified by his mother as Marcos was seen drawing the image of a bull in chalk on the pavement. “How can you say that you love something and then kill it, it just does not make any sense to me,” he said.
Protesters were more willing to discuss the issue than attendees. Roman, one of the few fans willing to talk, noted that deep down, he knew bullfighting’s days were numbered and that, in a way, he agreed that they should ultimately be outlawed. But he added that his memories of attending the ring with his father would keep him coming back for as long as he could.
The future of bullfighting in Yucatán is likely to be determined by the courts. But momentum is on the side of those looking to abolish what they see as a cruel and bloody practice, tradition or not.
There is also the question of economics. Though the ring was full to the brim, with tickets ranging from 400 to 2,000 pesos (roughly US$20-100), the reality is that with just a handful of events a year, it seems unlikely that the spectacle can keep itself in business for much longer.
