Mexico City lawmakers have banned violent bullfighting, prohibiting the killing or wounding of bulls. The move, backed by officials and animal rights groups, has sparked celebration from activists and criticism from industry supporters, who argue it threatens jobs and tradition.

Lawmakers in Mexico City have voted to ban violent bullfighting, a decision that has been met with celebration from animal rights advocates and outrage from the bullfighting industry.

The legislation, which was passed with an overwhelming 61-1 vote on Tuesday, prohibits events in which bulls are killed or wounded. It also bans matadors from using sharp objects such as swords and imposes a 15-minute time limit on how long bulls can remain in the ring.

Mexico City’s mayor, Clara Brugada, described the initiative as a step toward a "violence-free" approach to bullfighting. She emphasized that the capital—home to the world’s largest bullring—cannot continue to allow "cruelty as a spectacle, much less the prolonged pain and death of an animal for entertainment."

Meanwhile, lawmaker Victor Hugo Romo de Vivar clarified that the goal of the measure was "not to make bullfighting disappear, but to evolve it."

The decision also received backing from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who described it as a "good solution" that balances the need to protect jobs in the bullfighting industry while preventing animal abuse.

Animal rights activists welcomed the ban, seeing it as a significant victory in the fight against cruelty toward bulls. However, the decision also sparked criticism from bullfighting enthusiasts, who consider the tradition an integral part of Mexico’s cultural heritage.

Tensions ran high as rival groups of protesters clashed near the local congress on Tuesday, leading to the intervention of riot police to maintain order.

Anton Aguilar, executive director of Humane World for Animals Mexico, hailed the move as "an important step toward eradicating the torment and killing of animals for entertainment." However, he also cautioned that even without the element of violence, bulls in the ring would still suffer from significant and unnecessary stress.

Bullfighting advocates argue that the industry plays a crucial role in Mexico City’s economy. Official figures from 2023 show that the sport created 80,000 jobs and generated around $50 million (€45 million) in revenue.

Bullfighting has long been seen as a tradition in Latin American countries, but the sport has faced growing scrutiny in recent years over concerns about animal cruelty. Animal rights groups estimate that approximately 180,000 bulls are killed each year in bullfighting worldwide.

In Mexico, several of the country’s 32 states have already banned bullfighting. The trend has also extended to other parts of the region, with Colombia approving a ban on bullfighting set to take effect in 2027. Similarly, Ecuador’s capital, Quito, has banned the killing of animals in the sport.