{"id":150049,"date":"2025-06-12T04:11:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T04:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/the-cayetanos-are-going-to-make-noise-in-the-squares-and-its-not-just-because-of-their-passion-for-bullfighting\/"},"modified":"2025-06-12T04:11:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T04:11:49","slug":"the-cayetanos-are-going-to-make-noise-in-the-squares-and-its-not-just-because-of-their-passion-for-bullfighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/the-cayetanos-are-going-to-make-noise-in-the-squares-and-its-not-just-because-of-their-passion-for-bullfighting\/","title":{"rendered":"The “cayetanos” are going to make noise in the squares. And it’s not just because of their passion for bullfighting."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Morante de La Puebla: A Historic Event in Las Ventas<\/h2>\n

On the past Sunday, \u00a0Morante de La Puebla\u00a0 participated in the traditional charity bullfight in Las Ventas, Madrid<\/a>. The excitement among the attendees was palpable as it was considered a historic milestone: the matador opened the \u00a0Puerta Grande\u00a0 of the plaza for the first time, cementing his status as a leading figure in contemporary \u00a0bullfighting\u00a0. However, it also confirmed that bullfighting is no longer the popular entertainment of decades past, but rather a cultural artifact appealing to a specific niche of \u00a0conservative youth\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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The “Moranties” Phenomenon<\/h2>\n

Morante de La Puebla is regarded as one of the most important \u00a0bullfighters\u00a0 today, which makes his success somewhat unsurprising. However, what has drawn attention is the remarkably young demographic of his followers. A viral video, posted by Las Ventas’ own account<\/a>, showcased fervent supporters rushing towards the \u00a0Puerta Grande\u00a0. This resulted in a tumult<\/a> that caused traffic jams, prompting police to visit the \u00a0matador\u00a0 at his hotel to request identification and explanations.<\/p>\n

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The fervor of the youth was so intense that they attempted to carry the bullfighter on their shoulders<\/a> back to his hotel, two kilometers away from Las Ventas, which would have necessitated blocking a main artery in Madrid, \u00a0Calle Alcal\u00e1\u00a0. This serves as just the latest sign of youthful passion for the \u00a0national celebration\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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The Cayetano Power<\/h2>\n

This enthusiasm aligns with the broader claims of the “cayetana” youth movement, who have embraced the national festival through a rightist lens. These young individuals do not shy away from identifying with a \u00a0conservative ideology\u00a0, effectively taking bullfighting into the realm of identity politics. Recent events with Morante clarify the prevailing codes: they transform bullfighters into rock stars<\/a>, intertwining fun and ideological combat with a spectacle that they understand carries controversy.<\/p>\n

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Pop Culture Meets Tradition<\/h2>\n

This youthful crowd, although not monolithic, consists of various social strata and activist intentions, similar to their adult counterparts. They are reclaiming beliefs that were previously seen as taboo for their age, such as \u00a0Catholicism\u00a0. Groups like Hakuna have risen to massive pop phenomena, while they also worship a \u00a0pantheon of modern idols\u00a0, blending kitsch and provocation, including figures like Victoria Federica<\/a> and Tamara Falc\u00f3<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A Political Weapon<\/h2>\n

Recently, bullfighting has turned into a political weapon<\/a> wielded between factions, contrary to traditional norms. Conservative parties defend bullfighting as a tradition tied to \u00a0Spanish values\u00a0, while leftist factions advocate for its abolition. In 2023, a debate arose regarding whether bullfighting should be included in the \u00a0Cultural Voucher\u00a0 program, providing 400 euros for young people’s cultural expenses. The Supreme Court ultimately mandated that Minister Miquel Iceta include bullfighting in the \u00a0voucher\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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Ten years prior, while the \u00a0PP\u00a0 was in power, bullfighting was regulated with a \u00a0National Award\u00a0 of 30,000 euros, effectively recognizing it as a cultural asset. Conversely, leftist parties have tried for years to counter this recognition. In 2024, the coalition Sumar eliminated the National Bullfighting Award, provoking a backlash from the \u00a0PP\u00a0 and various conservative regional governments, which created alternative awards to reinforce institutional support for bullfighting.<\/p>\n

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In 2025, almost \u00a0664,000 signatures\u00a0 compelled Congress to debate whether to remove the legal protection of bullfighting as a cultural heritage. The prohibition or regulation of bullfighting would now be under regional jurisdiction, turning the spectacle into a mere cultural war. This division is evident in voting patterns, with only 5.2% of \u00a0PSOE\u00a0 voters supporting bullfighting, while 58% of \u00a0PP\u00a0 and 61% of \u00a0Vox\u00a0 voters stand in favor.<\/p>\n

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Is It That Important?<\/h2>\n

Although bullfights are increasingly popular on social media, the attendance figures are waning. Between 2010 and 2013, the number of bullfighting events decreased from \u00a016,698\u00a0 to \u00a015,883\u00a0, touching historic lows during the pandemic. However, there has been a recovery: in 2023-2024, over \u00a06.2 million spectators\u00a0 attended more than \u00a020,950 events\u00a0, marking the highest figure in fifteen years. It’s essential to approach these statistics cautiously, as they encompass grand corridas as well as popular festivities like \u00a0encierros\u00a0 and \u00a0vaquillas\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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Despite initiatives like “streaming bullfights” failing to take off, it’s evident that there’s a renewed interest among youths towards bullfighting. Yet, as with many traditional celebrations, the data remains ambiguous, as the events vary widely in nature.<\/p>\n

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From Entertainment to Reclamation<\/h2>\n

A look into the history of bullfighting reveals its fluctuating public perception from its origins. The earliest reference in Spain dates back to \u00a01080\u00a0, initially associated with entertainment for the nobility during the Middle Ages. Despite clashes with the Church, notably in \u00a01567\u00a0 when Pope Pius V threatened excommunication for supporting bullfights, it remained tied to power through centuries, with kings like \u00a0Philip III\u00a0 and \u00a0Philip IV\u00a0 being ardent fans. Over time, the release of \u00a0bulls\u00a0 in streets and squares led to celebrations such as \u00a0toros de fuego\u00a0 and \u00a0toros embolados\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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Nonetheless, bullfighting remained a noble pursuit until King Philip V prohibited it, relegating the spectacle to common folk who embraced it as a brutal entertainment, with many bullfighters being butchers or slaughterers. Ironically, the spectacle faced opposition from enlightened monarchs like \u00a0Carlos III\u00a0, who banned bullfighting in \u00a01778\u00a0, yet later kings like \u00a0Fernando VII\u00a0 reinstated it, responding to the growing economic interests tied to \u00a0livestock\u00a0 and bullfighting venues.<\/p>\n

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In the early 20th century, various reforms softened the spectacle, protecting \u00a0horses\u00a0 from the brutality seen by audiences, finally enabling modern bullfighting that appealed to a broader public.<\/p>\n

Despite the ongoing debates and controversies, the interest toward bullfighting remains strong among a younger demographic. Cultural and political affiliations continue to shape the narrative, crafting a complex yet fascinating aspect of contemporary Spanish life.<\/p>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Morante de La Puebla: A Historic Event in Las Ventas On the past Sunday, \u00a0Morante de La Puebla\u00a0 participated in the traditional charity bullfight in Las Ventas, Madrid. The excitement among the attendees was palpable as it was considered a historic milestone: the matador opened the \u00a0Puerta Grande\u00a0 of the plaza for the first time, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[3272,36832,5894,3353,36833],"class_list":["post-150049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-bullfighting","tag-cayetanos","tag-noise","tag-passion","tag-squares"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150049"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150049\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}