Cut the Bull, End The Slaughter

A Religious Festival in Mexico Masks a Brutal Act of Animal Cruelty.
 

- Vanessa Papas

This past week sees a small town in Mexico painted red – literally – as bulls are beaten, maimed and tortured before being drowned to death, all in the name of a religious street festival. The Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria has put the tiny town under a giant spotlight. A massive public outcry has seen thousands of people across the globe calling on the government to end to the use of bulls beaten and attacked by drunk locals during the week-long festivities.

According to tradition, the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria is held in honour of the Virgin of Candelaria and celebrated in many Central and South American countries. It’s supposed to be a festival of fun with a wonderful ambiance and entertainment by local dancers and musicians, paying homage to the patron saint of the city: the Virgin of Candelaria, also known as La Morenita – one of various representations of the Virgin Mary. The Festival is largely worship-based with locals spending most of the year preparing for it and people coming from far and wide to be a part of this special occasion. A major part of the Festival is the consumption of alcohol, which gets the attendees in the right mood to party and let go of their inhibitions.