The tradition, which has long drawn big crowds to arenas across Mexico, was dealt a blow when a judge in Mexico City banned the practice in June 2022, shutting down an arena that has been billed as the world’s largest bullfighting ring. The judge ruled that bullfights violated city residents' rights to a healthy environment free from violence.

Mexico City’s local congress on Tuesday passed a measure aiming to make bullfights much less harmful to bulls and matadors, a move applauded by animal rights activists but sharply criticized by fans of the centuries-old tradition.

Legislators in Mexico City, home to the world's largest bullring, voted Tuesday to ban bullfights where the animals are killed or wounded, as opponents and supporters staged rival protests. The initiative, which was promoted by the capital city's mayor Clara Brugada, aims to move toward "violence-free" bullfighting events.