This is how the prelude to the last debate of the project that seeks to prohibit bullfighting passed.
Photo: Mauricio Alvarado
During the legislative day, the congressmen and those invited to participate in the debate of Bill No. 219 of 2023 Chamber – 298 of 2023 Senate, were able to express each of their points of view. However, they interrupted the conversation before taking the decisive vote.since this would take place tomorrow, Wednesday, May 8, in the afternoon.
During this meeting, naturally, the congressmen expressed their points of view. However, bullfighters, animal rights activists, mayors, among other people who belong to various unions, also participated. with the aim of taking the debate to a real scenario, to listen to those directly affected by the initiative. Although this is characteristic of public hearings.
The most repetitive arguments on the part of the opposition stated that this is a practice that many families live from and that they would not have an activity main economic life on which to live. Likewise, during the three years that the transformation of bullrings into cultural centers would take, these same people would be unprotected. But the cultural connotation is very important, since bullfights are part of the Colombian tradition.
For this reason, one of the guests, Simón Hoyos, representing Taurojoven Manizales, said in the debate: “Bullfighting is so deep that it is not easy to understand. I love the fighting bull and he cannot die in a slaughterhouse, he has to die in the bullrings. That’s what he was born for, to fight (…)”.
On the other hand, those who promote the articles shared that bullfighting is already on the verge of extinction, since it is “stipulated that since 2002 there have been 222 bullfights.” according to Congresswoman María del Mar Pizarro. Which means that it is a seasonal business, which is also designed for those who are not Colombians, since 13.51% of Colombian bullfighters participated in 10 or more bullfights of the 222 that have been carried out, according to the president.
Despite the arguments, Alejandro García, representative of the chamber and speaker of the project, told El Espectador that several achievements corresponding to the legislative process were obtained today. The first was to deny the postponement of the debate; the second, reject the proposal to archive the initiative because, thus the article collapses without opening the discussion; the third, that the agenda not be changed; and finally, that the report of the presentation be approved.
In addition, a positive presentation was approved, which gives free rein to the continuity of the debate on the project. “This means that we are half a step away from achieving the ban on bullfighting and making it a law of the republic. Tomorrow all that remains is to debate the articles and vote on the final question of whether this Congress wants it to become a law of the republic.but I am sure that it will be like that,” Esmeralda Hernández, author of the project, told El Espectador.
Therefore, the ideal is that tomorrow there will be no breach of quorum, since those involved have been heard and all guarantees have been given. Still, the odds are 50-50, since the votes taken so far have been positive, because there are five votes that have made the difference. “Today the benches that accompanied us were there very judicious, committed to life, to animals, to citizens. I hope that tomorrow we can fully process this project,” concluded Hernández.
