Several bullfighters, such as the managing director of the Center for Bullfighting Affairs of the Community of Madrid and bullfighter, Miguel Abellán, along with Julián López Escobar ‘El Juli’, Andrés Roca Rey and Juan José Villa ‘Villita’, have shown their rejection and ” indignation” at the suppression of the National Bullfighting Award, announced this Friday by the Ministry of Culture. “The data says that young people flock to the bullfights,” Abellán claimed in statements to Europa Press.
In that sense, Abellán added that Urtasun has decided in a “totalitarian” manner to eliminate the subsidy for the National Award, something that, he considers, shows that “he is not prepared” for the position he currently occupies.
“Culture is culture not because Mr. Urtasun says so, but because it is decided by a people. This is stated in article 46 of the Constitution, which even obliges public powers to encourage, disseminate and promote any activity that is considered within the material cultural heritage,” he demanded.
Even so, he celebrated that this decision has done “a favor” to the bullfighting sector, as there has been a “chain reaction” derived from the announcement by the Ministry of Culture.
“The bullfight is not only a cultural activity, but it is an economic engine and contributes to the balance of biodiversity in the Dehesa in which the bull is the guardian,” he concluded.
“THEY CAN TAKE A PRIZE FROM US, BUT NOT FREEDOM”
Precisely, Roca Rey has written in a statement on the social network Instagram that the ministry may take away “a prize but not freedom.”
Thus, he added that this decision represents a “limitation” of their freedom and democracy, while calling on young people to defend “traditions”, something that he considers an “act of rebellion” and a call to ” diversity and cultural richness that defines us as a society”.
“Join this ‘countercultural’ movement. Let’s show that culture is not dictated, culture is lived and felt. Let’s make our passion a banner of freedom and a symbol of resistance. It’s time to rebel against impositions and censorship and celebrate our identity more strongly than ever,” he encouraged.
For his part, ‘El Juli’ has assured that a minister cannot decide “what is culture and what is not”, through a letter published in the newspaper ‘ABC’ and collected by Europa Press. In that sense, the bullfighter added that it is a decision in which Urtasun “puts his ideology first” and that as minister he has the responsibility of “fostering and promoting” traditions.
“Culture is not created by either the left or the right, although culture is governed by the person who is in office at that moment. With these types of decisions, Minister Urtasun puts his ideology first. It cannot be that the culture minister kick the culture of our country,” ‘El Juli’ has disfigured.
“THE BULLFIGHTING IS PART OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE”
Finally, Juan José Villa ‘Villita’ has assured that Culture’s decision is “worrying and painful news”, the result of a minister who “does not respect Spanish traditions.”
“He (Urtasun) already said that he was going to care for, protect and disseminate the various manifestations of culture… But we now see that he is not. Mr. Minister, bullfighting is part of the cultural heritage that you committed to defend and today we confirm that we has deceived,” he added in a statement collected by Europa Press.
Thus, he thanked the CC.AA that have announced their intention to organize Bullfighting Awards, such as the Community of Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha or Extremadura.