The Venezuelan Federation of Coleo has announced that the sport of bullfighting will resume starting August 25, following the forced pause due to the earthquakes on June 24.
Coleo, considered the national sport in Venezuela, will return to the arenas on August 25. This was communicated by the Venezuelan Federation of Coleo (Feveco), which has ended the suspension mandated by the two earthquakes that shook the country on June 24. The decision, according to the statement, responds to a direct guideline from the Minister of Popular Power for Sport, who acts as the governing body for sports activities in Venezuela.
Criticism of the President of Feveco
The president of Feveco, former baseball player Alex Cabrera, has faced harsh criticism on social media during the hiatus. Fans accuse him of lacking the proper preparation to manage the federation and of prolonging the inactivity of coleo. However, the federation defends that the pause was necessary to assess the damage and organize the resumption safely.
The national judge Ramón Abreu, general coordinator of the National Judges Commission, has urged the authorities to reactivate coleo as soon as possible. In a statement, Abreu reminded that bullfighting is the livelihood of hundreds of families in the country, and that the halt severely affects the economy of the regions where this tradition is the main driver.
Suspended Fairs and Expectations
The inactivity has led to the suspension of several traditional fairs, such as the Begoña, the Carmen in Miranda, the Carabobo, and the San Joaquín in the Eastern axis. These celebrations, which usually take place in July and August, had not been held for six years due to the pandemic. Coleo followers eagerly hope that the resumption will allow these events to return in the coming months.
The federation has asked fans for patience.
“The dawn will come, and we will see, just as the popular saying goes. For now, we must wait until August 25, the date when the doors of the arena will open again,” the statement notes.
For those in Madrid interested in coleo, the news comes as a relief, although the geographical distance limits the direct impact. Nevertheless, the Venezuelan community in the Community of Madrid, one of the largest in Spain, continues to closely follow the evolution of this sport that is part of their cultural identity.
The resumption of coleo occurs in a context of recovery after the earthquakes, which caused material damage in several regions. The federation has assured that the conditions of the arenas will be assessed and necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the animals and participants.
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