A tragic incident at a Colombian bullfighting festival has reignited calls to end the controversial practice.
Over the weekend in Fundación, Magdalena, 35-year-old Yovanis Márquez was gored to death during a “corraleja” event.
Footage shows Márquez running toward the bull and attempting to leap over it.
He failed to clear the jump and was struck with the animal’s horns.
“He stood up as if fine, but blood was flowing,” a witness told El Tiempo.
Moments later, he collapsed and later died in hospital.
Este es el momento en que un hombre identificado como Yovani Romo fue alcanzado por un toro en las corralejas de Fundación, Magdalena.
— Plataforma ALTO (@PlataformaALTO) August 10, 2025
El hombre falleció ayer tras ser corneado por un toro malherido, en un acto de defensa propia, en medio de las "fiestas" del municipio.
El año… pic.twitter.com/oe8oUIp0aD
Bullfighting is already banned in many countries but remains legal in Spain, Portugal, France, and the Philippines.
Colombia passed a law in 2024 to ban the sport fully by 2027, allowing a transition period for affected businesses.
Animal rights group Plataforma ALTO condemned the event, calling for an immediate end to “corralejas.”
“This is the moment to say: NO MORE CORRALEJAS,” the group wrote.
The tragedy serves as a grim reminder that such spectacles endanger both humans and animals — and change may come too late.
