The Fighting Bull Foundation announces its own National Bullfighting Award together with the Senate and nine autonomous communities

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, suppressed the National Bullfighting Award in May 2024. The Fighting Bull Foundation, an entity that brings together bullfighters, ranchers, businessmen and bullfighting fans, has felt it as an “attack ideological to the freedom and diversity of culture in Spain” and has decided to resurrect it, with the same name and with the support of the Senate and nine autonomous communities governed by the PP.

Andalusia, Cantabria, Region of Murcia, Valencian Community, Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Madrid and Castilla y León are the autonomies that support this award. Of all those that are governed by the Popular Party, only Galicia and La Rioja have not joined.

The Senate, a chamber controlled by the PP and which at the end of May approved a motion for Urtasun to reconsider the decision, in which the PSOE abstained, supports an award that will be presented on January 30 at the headquarters of the Community of Madrid.

The Ministry of Culture completed the suppression in September with a ministerial order in the BOE. The order was preceded by a citizen consultation in which 90% of those who participated supported the elimination of this National Award. The following month, the Fighting Bull Foundation appealed this suppression before the National Court.

The National Bullfighting Award was valid between 2011, when the bullfighting competitions were transferred to the Ministry of Culture and until 2023, with the decision of the cultural minister, at the same time spokesperson for Sumar, whose anti-bullfighting position is notorious and prior to his accession to office. . “A country that cares for and does not mistreat animals is a better country,” said Ernest Urtasun in May, after learning of the prize’s elimination.

Because Law 18/2013 for the regulation of Bullfighting as cultural heritage is still in force and states that “Bullfighting is part of the common historical and cultural heritage of all Spaniards”, the aforementioned foundation considers that the Ministry’s action is a “completely unjustified discrimination” and contrary to that law. In a video published this Tuesday by the foundation, its president Victorino Martín states that “the National Bullfighting Award will continue to be awarded normally.”