A bullfighter lost his life after being gored while taunting a bull during a weekend event.
The deadly incident happened at the long-criticized ‘corraleja’ festival — a local form of bullfighting — in the small northern Colombian town of Fundación, located in the Magdalena region.
In the footage, he appears shirtless and is suddenly lifted into the air by the animal’s powerful horns.
Although bullfighting is outlawed in many nations, it remains legal in countries like Spain, Portugal, and France, as well as in the Philippines. In Colombia, the practice is set to be banned entirely in 2027, but for now it continues under current law.
Yet stories frequently emerge of matadors and participants suffering serious injuries at the hands — or rather horns — of the bulls, fueling the calls from animal rights activists to end it completely.
Footage from this year’s corraleja shows Márquez attempting to leap over the bull after charging toward it. His jump falls short, and the animal reacts by attacking him head-on.
According to local media, he was rushed to the hospital but died from his wounds soon after. One eyewitness told El Tiempo: “He stood up as if he was fine, but the blood was flowing. It was only a few seconds before he fell to the ground.”
The Colombian animal rights organization Plataforma ALTO later posted footage of the moment on social media, warning of the dangers and cruelty behind such events.
“The man passed away yesterday after being gored by an injured bull, in an act of self-defence, during the ‘festivities’ of the municipality.”
“It is time to also say: NO MORE CORRALEJAS! Yes to prohibition, no to ‘regulations’.”
The Colombian Congress approved the legislation last year, which sets a three-year transition period before the ban takes full effect in 2027.
This interim period is meant to help individuals and businesses tied to bullfighting find other ways to earn a living once the practice is officially prohibited.
