Mexican agriculture ministry must impose sanctions against bullfights
07-05-2024Good news from Mexico! The end of bullfighting in this country is closer than ever. A court has ruled on a lawsuit that CAS and AnimaNaturalis started in 2023. agriculture ministry. From now on, the Ministry of Agriculture has to impose sanctions when bulls are killed during bullfights in Mexico.
CAS and Mexican organizations protest at SENASICA building in Mexico City, November 2022 © CAS/AnimaNaturalis
On July 3, 2023, CAS and AnimaNaturalis, started a lawsuit against the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (SADER) for not correctly following the federal law for Animal Health as well as the Mexican rules for killing methods of domesticated and wild animals. There are no exceptions to the slaughter of fighting bulls during a bullfight in the law. Therefore, bullfighting has been illegal in Mexico for 17 years. SENASICA, Mexico’s food safety agency, should impose sanctions when bullfights are held, but it does not.
Now the court has ruled that the Ministry of Agriculture must conduct inspections of bullfights and impose sanctions on the bullfighting industry.
Bullfighting in violation of the law
Since 2022, our Mexican lawyers have insisted that the Ministry of Agriculture and SENASICA conduct inspections and impose sanctions on bullfights. Last January, we were told by the court that these bullfights had already taken place and so no action could be taken on them afterwards. However, the court has now vindicated us and ruled that the bullfights violate both the federal Animal Health Law and the Mexican regulations for killing methods of domesticated and wild animals.
A bullfight © CAS international
Illegal
After the bullfight, the killed fighting bull is taken to the slaughterhouse to be sold as meat for human consumption. The method of slaughter violates Article 23 of the Federal Animal Health Act. It also states that killing an animal not intended for consumption is only allowed when the animal’s welfare is compromised. In the case of animal suffering due to accident, illness or physical incapacity, such an animal may be killed, preferably after the advice of a veterinarian. This is not the case with bullfighting.
Both Article 23 and the rules on methods of killing domesticated and wild animals must be mandatorily applied by federal authorities in both states and municipalities. SENASICA is the Mexican agency responsible for ensuring that the regulations are correctly applied.
End of bullfighting closer
The court ruling is a big step toward the end of bullfighting in Mexico. This legal ruling recognizes that bullfighting is illegal in Mexico and sanctions should be imposed.
A great task awaits us. From now on, we must report all bullfights held in Mexico to SADER and demand that they follow the court ruling: inspect and sanction bullfighting. According to the ruling, SADER must take up all reports of bullfighting and take action on them. Sanctions must also be imposed, ranging between 136,900 and 684,397 euros.
From CAS International and AnimaNaturalis we will continue our legal fight so that the law in Mexico is followed. We will not allow the impunity enjoyed so far by the bullfighting industry to continue unabated.
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