Congress votes to outlaw bullfighting in Colombia after seven-year fight to ban the tradition that dates back to colonial times

The Colombian Congress has voted to ban bullfighting in the South American country, but some political and social groups vow to fight the ruling because of its cultural value.

The measure was passed Tuesday with 93 members in the House of Representatives voting in favor and two against it.

Plans indicate bullfighting will be phased out over three years and to be officially outlawed by the start of 2028.

The law will also have to be signed by President Gustavo Petro, who is a fierce opponent of the sport.

Lawmakers had spent the last seven years attempting to put a ban into place against the tradition - which dates back to colonial times, and been hailed as inspiration for countless books and songs.

A bull charges at a matador during a bullfighting event in Manizales, Colombia in November 2023. On Tuesday, a bill was passed to ban the longtime tradition, with 93 members in the House of Representatives voting in favor and two against it

Demonstrators held a protest against bullfighting in Bogotá, Colombia on May 7. The sign at left reads in Spanish 'I want Colombia without bullfighting! Torture, neither art nor culture'

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Colombia's constitutional court had urged Congress in recent years to issue a definitive regulation on the matter.

Bogotá Representative Juan Carlos Losada praised the vote as advancement in Colombia towards 'respect and love for life.'

'Here is a country that says that no torture is regulated, it is prohibited,' the liberal told reporters. 

'We become a less violent and more civilized society today we take a quantum leap in respect for life.'

Valle del Cauca Representative Christian Garcés, who opposed the bill, attempted to introduce a measure to find an alternative solution, stressing that the ban would negatively impact workers.

'It cannot simply be prohibited because jobs are created here,' the democrat said.

Bullfighting will cease to exist at Plaza de Santamaria in Bogotá, Colombia at the start of 2028

Animal rights' activists form the word 'Stop' with their bodies during a protest against bullfighting in Medellín, Colombia in February 2012

Bullfighting originated in the Iberian Peninsula and is still legal in a handful of countries, including Spain, France and Portugal. 

It's allowed under law in Latin American countries like Peru, Ecuador and Mexico, but it is banned in others, including Argentina and Cuba.

In bullfights, a matador faces bulls that are bred to be aggressive. The matador taunts the bull with a red cape and kills the animal with the blow of a sword after it has been injured wit

In Colombia less than two dozen municipalities continue to hold these events, although the annual bullfights in the western city of Manizales still draw tens of thousands of spectators.

Fans described the ban as an assault on the freedoms of minorities as well as a problem for cities where these events draw thousands of visitors. 

Matador Jelain Fresneda, also known by his bullfighting name of 'Gitanillo de America,' is gored during a bullfight at the Hacienda Vista Hermosa in Villapinzón, Colombia on February 25, 2023

The near unanimous vote left Simón Hoyos, a matador in Manizales, searching for answers.

'The truth is that I couldn't sleep last night, I feel violated and misunderstood,' Hoyos told W Radio. 

'I don't know how well stipulated the economic consequences that we will have are, all those who benefited from the bullfights will be impacted.'

The sport was once a popular event, broadcast live by multiple television networks.

People protest against bullfighting outside the Santa Maria bullring in Bogotá, Colombia's capital, on January 22, 2012. On Tuesday, Congress voted to ban bullfighting in the South American nation

However, the tradition has come under increased scrutiny as views change about animal welfare, and many find it unacceptable to see an animal suffer for entertainment's sake.

'This ban is a huge victory for organizations that have worked to transform society and reject violence against animals,' said Terry Hurtado, an animal rights activist and city council member in Cali, who has been leading protests against bullfights since the 1990s. 

'I feel relieved that bulls and horses (which also participate in some bullfights) in Colombia will no longer be tortured, and that children will no longer be exposed to this spectacle.'