Colombian town bans festival in which live horse was cut to pieces

[Judi Lynn]

Source: EFE (Spain)

Colombian town bans festival in which live horse was cut to pieces
Published January 19, 2015/
EFE

The mayor of Colombia's Buenavista municipality in the northern province of Sucre, Quintiliano Tapia, banned Monday the amateur bullfighting festivals known as "corralejas" following a scandal sparked by the dismembering of a live horse during one of those events.

The mayor was reacting to the public indignation that followed the airing of a video over the weekend showing how two men cut a horse to pieces that had been badly injured by a bull, all in the presence of children.

Tapia said in a statement on Blu Radio that he regretted the incident, adding that measures are being taken to identify those responsible and make them pay for what they did, and that meanwhile the running of the bulls and the "corralejas," amateur bullfights in which anyone is allowed to take part, are banned.

"I wasn't told what happened, but when we learned about it we did take drastic measures like suspending the bullfighting festivals," he said.

Read more: http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/World+News/Latin+America

---

Colombia is the largest recipient of US taxpayers' foreign aid in the Western Hemisphere.

[Judi Lynn]

1. They do this to the fighting bulls, too. ("Fighting" is forced upon these animals, not voluntary)

From the posted article:

The gory celebration came at a time when Colombians were getting over another video of animal torture from the festivals in the municipality of Turbaco in the neighboring province of Bolivar at the beginning of the month.

The video, posted on YouTube, showed how people in a bullring relentlessly pursued, harassed and hit the animal with sticks and stones until it fell down and was kicked and stabbed to death by some 20 individuals, who even jumped on top of it.

No, there is no justification for this. Period.

[The Stranger]

2. Isn't this horrific act in itself enough to be banned?

Interesting that they include "all in the presence of children."

What makes this unforgivable is that it is done to a living being -- not who is was done in front of.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Unbearable. Can't imagine what kind of person would ever have such hellish impulses. n/t