The second largest city in Venezuela, Maracaibo, has just announced that bullfighting is no longer permitted within its boundaries, thanks to newly appointed mayor, Willy Casanova.
Mayor Casanova says, “We believe that this is no longer allowed to happen in a state where the most basic values are defended… we will change the status of the bullring so it is a place for everybody, meant for recreative activities.”
Bullfighting, also known as the corrida de toros, is a traditional Venezuelan pastime that started in the colonial era, with a heavy Spanish influence. Considered by some to be a culturally important art form, it is abhorrent to many people throughout the world. Insider reports state that before a fight a bull has Vaseline rubbed into his eyes, cotton wool stuffed up his nostrils, his genitals are pierced by a needle, and he receives drugs and laxatives for two days. Following this, the bull is released into a ring where he is repeatedly stabbed before bleeding to death, all to the bloodthirsty cheers of the crowd.
There is a growing movement in Venezuela to stand up against bullfighting, as shown by this brave and compassionate decision in Maracaibo, with Venezuelan protestors asking for a referendum on bullfighting in 2012. Throughout Latin America, there is growing concern for animal rights. In Merida, Venezuela, a court has already banned children under 12 from attending bullfighting shows.
Other regions that have already banned bullfighting include Catalonia, Spain (banned in 2010) and Ecuador, which enforced a ban on killing animals for entertainment, effectively putting the bullfighting festivals out of business.
CAS International, an organisation dedicated to ending bullfighting and other events that cause animal suffering, welcomed the news, with director Marius Koff, saying, “It is great that the mayor of Maracaibo has taken this brave decision. Let’s hope he will be an example to many and that this decision will be followed in politics, so a definite end to this type of animal maltreatment can be achieved here.”
WONDERFUL NEWS …BABY STEPS 🙂
This why we need a wall. I’m surprised we don’t have bullfighting in this country already.
One city at a time! KNOW civilized society should kill and torture animals for entertainment.I can not fathom how any person with a heart in there chest could watch and cheer for this.
Thank God!!!!!!! It is so amazing that good people are able to end animal cruelty once and for all. God, I hope this keeps happening!!!!!!!
Thank you Mayor Casanova. Your City is now a shining and humane example for all to emulate.
Hallelujah!!!
Thank you Mayor Casanova. You have a heart full of compassion for the innocent. May more and more places follow suit, until this horrible practice is totally done away with.
Thank you Mayor Casanova! You have shown true compassion for our animal friends
Thank you Mayor Casanova! One more small win for the animals yet such a huge step in the right direction! It seems the world is slowly starting to step up, open their eyes and realize that animals, any animal of any type, kind or species has feelings……the same, very same feelings we’d have under the same circumstances. Again, Thank you Mayor Casanova!
Thank you Mayor Casanova, for your brave and compassionate stand for animal rights. Torturing animals is one of the lowest forms of human actions and should never be tolerated or accepted in ANY form. People who do this type of thing are lacking something in their souls. God bless you for this stand. You are truly a leader who values life in all of it’s many forms. May your patron Saint…Mary, Our Lady of Coromoto…keep you safe and give you the strength to follow your heart and make positive changes for both the animals and people in your jurisdiction, and be an inspiration to other leaders…not just in your country, but all over the world.
i am glad that this is coming to an end. these animals deserve the right to live their lives as god sees fit instead of service to abusive people who consider them useless
That is just grouse and how anybody can get any possible enjoyment out of this has to demented along with the cheering crowd. Don’t not understand how people in the bleachers don’t see that as being cruel in one of the worst ways. And don’t care what country your from either. Even the man in the ring so sick needs mental help.
yipeeeeee
A big step in the right direction. Bravo, Venezuela!
Animals feel pain and fear. This brutality should be outlawed worldwide.
SICK GREEDY BULLFIGHTING BUSINESS. STOP IT NOW. 3rd WORLD MENTALITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tout les corridas doive arrêté dand le monde entier
I am so proud of these brave and determined people. Felicitaciones Maracaibo. Bendiciones y fuerza para seguir en la lucha!
Casanova, thanks for making a slight difference, but this tradition should be illegal all together. You’re missing the point, this is a traditional act of “animal cruelty”. Punishable in other countries for a reason.
“Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission — to be of service to them whenever they require it.” — St. Francis of Assisi.
Thank You so much.
Mayor Casanova, there is a speial place in heaven for you sir. Who says Bulls have to be crucified to please an audience?? They are warm blooded animals that have feelings and can feel love, pain and fear. Man has to review his thoughts on empathy for living beings. I hope you started something in all countries. Thankk you thank you thank you for having a kind heart for animals.
Thank you so much, Mayor Casanova. I feel so hopeful for the future now, for other cities in Venezuela and throughout South America…and throughout the world. Thank you for being willing to be the first to show compassion. Big hug to you from me.
now this made my day!!! finally ..because after what i saw what venezulas people did to the baby cow…well thisis some hope towrads compassion
Absolutely wonderful news. Now we need to get the other countries to ban this cruel, evil, vile bloody torture of innocent bulls!!????????????????????????????????
Thank you very much !
Absolutely WONDERFUL news!!!! MANY thanks to MAYOR CASANOVA for making this a wonderful victory for kindness and compassion to animals….including bulls that have been used in bullfighting…… for the so called “entertainment” of some people! Now for the REST OF THE WORLD to also BAN BULLFIGHTING…and while we are about it, also DOG FIGHTING, COCKEREL FIGHTING and all other kinds of abusive sports!
Let us hope that this encourages the trend in banning blood sports.
Great news!! Thank you, Mayor Casanova! Hopefully other cities will follow Mayor Casanova’s compassionate stance against Bullfighting!! Bullfighting is not a sport! Its nothing more than torture & cruelty to an innocent animal!
Thank you,it is a evil sport,hate to see animals s
Great news! Thank you Mayor Casanova!! I pray more cities will follow your compassionate lead!! Bull-Fighting is not a sport…it is nothing more than extreme torture & cruelty to an animal! Totally disgusting!!
Thats a good thing, – Imagine the cheek to put cotton wool in their noses, to put pins in their scrotum, to give them laxatives, to sedate them, vaseline in their eyes, Who’s going to support vaseline? this is horrible, and then to torment them, after a week before they were been pet and fed by the farmer and interviews by the media, oh look isn’t he nice. This is totally sick.
Yaaah!!!!! Wonderful news.
Indeed, such great news, thanks for sharing Nina!
Best,
Woody
Thank u Mayer. Please Stop all animal cruelty in venizula.. God bless u sir..
Thank you so much mayor great job
Thank you so very much Mayor Casanova. I hope all other Mayors will follow your kindness. Animal cruelty breaks my heart. I appreciate what you have done, thank you.
Thank you to Mayor Cassonova of Maracaibo Venezuela, the country of Ecuador, the Spanish region of Catalonia and the Venezuelan city of Merida. There is no room in this day and age for blood thirsty sports like bullfighting. ????????
Hail to the newly appointed mayor, Willy Casanova, for stopping bullfighting!!
Mayor Casanova — THANK YOU a million times — There IS a God ! — it is clear that the BULL suffers tremendously at every corner — thank you, Mayor, for “seeing” and not looking the other way — for recognizing the horrific brutality of this monstrous event.
It is about time that bulls were not created for a blood sport! Let’s keep the protests going and have no bull ever tortured for the ‘fans’. I question why people so enjoyed seeing a bull stabbed over and over again till he dies and the ‘hero’ gets his ears!
YES!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
This is awesome news and about time. This is not entertainment what it is is vike, barbaric and torture. Here’s hoping alot more people and countries take heed and stand up for the animals.
Thank you Mayor Casanova. Please use your influence to get other mayors to stop bullfighting
WOO HOO- good job!! One down, more to go!
THANK YOU MAYOR CASANOVA! I hope all other cities in Venezuela will ban this ABUSIVE “sport”! I just call it CRUELTY! It’s certainly not a “sport”! Hopefully social media will make that happen in the rest of the country!