Bullfighting Banned in Colombia! Senate Approves Bill in Second Debate

In a historic move for the country, the Colombian Senate has banned bullfighting nationwide.

The Colombian Senate approved Bill 085 of 2022, which gradually prohibits cruel animal entertainment practices in Colombia, including bullfighting.

“What we have just achieved is historic. Now, we will defend the bill in the Fifth Committee of the House of Representatives and later on the House floor. We are confident we will succeed,” said Andrea Padilla, the senator who spearheaded the legislation.

It should be noted that the bill passed by a very narrow margin. As the voting began, nearly 30 of the 80 senators present left the chamber. Consequently, Senate President Roy Barreras decided to extend the time to secure the necessary votes, even threatening to call another in-person session on Friday, when several senators had already scheduled vacations.

This law banning bullfighting in Colombia represents a major national step toward eliminating practices that promote animal cruelty.

The bill passed with the support of senators from across the political spectrum, including the Conservative Party, Radical Change (Cambio Radical), the Green caucus, and the Historic Pact (Pacto Histórico). These lawmakers welcomed the measure, highlighting as a positive aspect that the ban will be implemented gradually and, for the time being, does not affect cockfighting.