“In the political and social arena of Colombia, the work continues and we, the spectators, continue to hope that one day the true matador will arrive to put an end to so much shamelessness.”
After years of struggle, animal rights activists have achieved a great victory: the ban on bullfighting. Now, finally, the bulls can rest easy, without the constant fear of being chased by a crazy crowd shouting “Olé!” But let’s not worry, if you miss the drama, the blood and the overflowing passion, just tune in to any news program or, better yet, check out X’s trading topics, because the real bullfights today take place in the political arena and social.
Hey! Here we are, in the middle of the arena of national politics, where the bullfighters wear suits and are armed with their best metaphors, they throw themselves against each other in a spectacle that not even the best bullfighting poster could match. Crises are not a thing of the past, but our daily bread. The EPS continue in their tireless task of dealing with a health system that seems like an indomitable bull. The lines at hospitals are not to see the matador, but to beg for a medical appointment that is delayed more than infrastructure projects.
But let’s talk about the real show: the politicians. These masters of beautiful politics who have perfected the art of the chest pass, that is, the blame pass. There is no personal responsibility here, only the art of blaming the other. Health reform, that great promise that never saw the light of day, continues to be the cloak with which the public is distracted. “Look, look, we’re working on it!” they shout from their stands, while in reality the only visible task is that of bureaucracy and stagnation.
And meanwhile, in the great plaza of Bogotá, our beloved mayor is more busy broadcasting “How are we doing with water”, proclaiming himself as the guardian of the flow and the watchman of the taps, forgetting that his responsibility goes beyond the weather reports and forgetting the true ones that afflict the capital; femicides and insecurity are rampant. Olé, Mr. Mayor, olé!
Between passes and passes, the public, we continue waiting for someone to dare to give the final blow to the real problems. But it seems like that’s asking too much. It is much easier to be distracted by water statistics than to face the bloody reality of a city where women die at the hands of violence in less than 24 hours. What courage, what courage!
So, my friends, let’s celebrate the ban on bullfighting. Let’s celebrate that at least animals have a more peaceful life expectancy. Because in the political and social arena of Colombia, the work continues and we, the spectators, continue to hope that one day the true matador will arrive to put an end to so much shamelessness.
Until then, let’s continue enjoying this spectacle, where each pass, each budget cut and each new unfulfilled promise remind us that, although there are no longer bullfights in the ring, in the political and social life of Colombia, gorings continue to be the everyday’s bread. Hey!
