President Andrés Manuel López Obrador proposed to conduct a citizen consultation (referendum) to decide whether bullfighting is prohibited or should continue in all of Mexico.
Considered by many as animal abuse, by the most as an art and tradition, and by others as a recreational activity, “bullfighting would have to be consulted to avoid an act of authoritarianism”, the Mexican president justified.
“There must be a public consultation to get everyone’s opinion, this is a very controversial issue,” AMLO said in his daily press conference on Wednesday September 4th.
The head of the Executive took the opportunity to reiterate his call to Congress to reform article 35 of the Constitution, in order to make the requirements for citizen consultations more flexible and make its results mandatory.
“That the consultation is binding, not just a matter of authority, citizens need to be asked for their opinion in these and other matters. That the people of Mexico can be properly informed, with controversy in favor and against, to have a debate in the media, that is democracy, ” AMLO said.
López Obrador mentioned that participatory democracy must be reinforced in the country with figures such as public consultation, referendum and revocation of mandate, which is seen by many Mexicans and non-Mexicans as the steps AMLO is taken to get himself reelected at the end of his six-year period, even though reelection is anticonstitutional in Mexico (at least for the moment).
The Yucatan Times Newsroom
