Bullfighting has been one of the most controversial topics in Spain in recent years, and there are no signs of the debate cooling down anytime soon.  With its being declared part of the country’s cultural heritage in 2013 by the national government while local anti-bullfighting measures continue to be implemented, there are strong opinions on both sides.  So, what is it that makes bullfighting controversial in Spain?  Here, we will discuss the major pro-bullfighting and anti-bullfighting arguments.

As of 2016, bullfighting is indeed still legal in Spain. This was the year of a major court ruling on the legal status of bullfighting in Spain, which resulted in overturning the bans on the practice that had been in place in Catalunya and other places in the country.  So, as it stands, the sport is fully legal in Spain.  But what about other countries? Where is bullfighting still legal?  What changes have been made to bullfighting to skirt around animal cruelty laws in other countries?  And why is bullfighting still legal anywhere, given the large number of people who see it as a brutal blood sport? Read on for…

Bullfighting is still legal and practiced today in Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador. In some cases, the type of bullfighting is not exactly the same as the traditional corrida which ends with the slaying of the bull (in Portugal, for example, fights are now only done on horseback, and the bull is not killed). The sport has been completely banned in Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom.  There are some countries which fall in a gray area, such as the United States, where modifications have been made to Spanish-style bullfighting to avoid injuring the bull.

Yes, bullfighting is still legal in Madrid and, since 2016, throughout the entire country of Spain. Other regions and cities have attempted to impose local bans on bullfighting, but these bans were overturned by the national government. Bullfighting continues to draw large crowds in Madrid at its main bullring, Las Ventas, short for La Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas del Espíritu Santo. Bullfighting season runs from March to October, but the best time to see one in person is May through June during the festival of San Isidro.  During this time, there are daily fights over the course of 20 days, including young bullfighters fighting novillos, rejoneadores fighting on…

Yes. In fact, Mexico is home to the world’s largest bullring, Plaza México in Mexico City, with a capacity of 48,000 people.  The sport’s legal status does not apply nationwide, however. It has been banned in three states: Sonora, Guerrero, and Coahuila.  Bullfighting is still legal in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, as it is located in the state of Jalisco. However, this wasn’t always the case.  Bullfighting was banned in Mexico in 1890, which spurred bullfighters to move north of the border and likely had a strong influence in American rodeos.

The legal status of bullfighting varies from country to country in North and South America. In the United States, the sport is not banned outright, but only a so-called bloodless form of bullfighting is allowed. This version has become most popular in Texas and California, and unlike a traditional Spanish corrida, it does not end with killing the bull. Two main versions of North American bullfighting exist. The first is called freestyle, which is a type of bullfighting that was developed by rodeo clowns as they worked to protect bull riders.  In this kind of fight, the bull is not provoked; instead, the fighter/clown uses a barrel to dodge a…

Essentially, yes, bullfighting is still legal because it is considered a tradition and an essential element of Spanish culture.  In 2016, when Spain’s constitutional court overturned the ban on bullfighting in Catalunya, they described the sport as “one more expression of a cultural nature that forms part of the common cultural heritage.”  The more cynical opponents will argue that continuing the practice is more about financial benefit than a deeply held respect for cultural tradition, however.

Many people concerned about animal welfare are wondering how bullfighting is still legal in advanced countries like Spain and France.  As explained in the previous point, there are very vocal supporters of bullfighting who defend its centuries- or even millennia-long tradition. Organizations such as PETA and Humane Society International want to put an end to bullfighting in all forms, but in Spain at least, the sport has some very powerful advocates.  This was made extremely clear when the conservative Partido Popular majority party moved that it was against the Spanish constitution for cities to create their own bans on bullfighting.