A bullfighter was fatally gored in front of a stunned crowd at a "corraleja" bullfighting festival in the tiny Colombian town of Fundación on Saturday. The accident, videotaped, finds 35-year-old Yovanis Marquez brutally thrown into the air by a bull after allegedly provoking the animal.
Video clips of the incident show Marquez trying to jump over the rampaging bull but failing to clear the beast, and then getting attacked several times as the crowd shrieked in horror. Spectators ran to his rescue, supporting him up and escorting him away from the imminent danger. The local media, however, showed that Marquez died later from the injuries.
An eyewitness described the terrifying moments to El Tiempo, saying, "He got up like he was okay, but the blood was pouring. It took only seconds for him to fall to the floor. Marquez was rushed away in an ambulance to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Este es el momento en que un hombre identificado como Yovani Romo fue alcanzado por un toro en las corralejas de Fundación, Magdalena.
El hombre falleció ayer tras ser corneado por un toro malherido, en un acto de defensa propia, en medio de las "fiestas" del municipio.
— Plataforma ALTO (@PlataformaALTO) August 10, 2025
The Colombian animal welfare organization Plataforma ALTO, which posted the graphic video on social media, decried the incident. "The man died yesterday following being gored by a wounded bull, in self-defense, during the 'celebrations' of the municipality," the organization said, reiterating their sustained opposition to such acts.
Corralejas are strong-rooted traditions in some areas of Colombia, where bullfighters perform bravado challenges in front of huge crowds. The events have, however, become increasingly criticized and scrutinized over the past few years with more voices hailing them as relics of the past that encourage cruelty to animals and put human lives at risk.
While Colombia's Congress voted for legislation last year to outlaw bullfighting across the country, the enforcement of this measure is not likely until 2027, creating a window when these contentious festivals may continue to occur.
