PAN calls for an immediate end to bullfighting after the death of a man in San Manzos. “We cannot understand the indifference to the death of a man and the complete irresponsibility of the government and local authorities,” the statement said.

The People-Animals-Nature Party (PAN) demanded this Saturday that the government and the House of Evora order the “immediate suspension” of bullfighting in San Manzos following the death of a 51-year-old man this morning.

“We cannot understand the indifference to the death of a person through violence in these conditions and the complete irresponsibility of the government and local authorities,” the statement sent to the Lusa agency said.

The PAN position is based on the case of a man who was seriously injured early this Saturday morning after being caught by a bull at the start in San Manzos, in the district of Évora, and who eventually died in a hospital in Évora.

“Instead of all starts being cancelled, a new one has already been scheduled for this Saturday and no corresponding cancellation has been announced yet,” PAN said in a statement.

According to the party, the bull run was organised by the Grupo de Forcados Amadores de São Manços with the support of the parish council and the municipal council of Évora as part of the summer festivities, which included several bullfighting events.

“Looking at the parties’ website, the municipality does not warn about the risks of this activity and does not set age limits for participation in these events, which lead to the death of people every year. On the contrary, they say that they are not responsible for accidents,” the party complains.

In the statement quoted, PAN leader Ines Souza Real stressed that the party expresses its “firm condemnation” and “constant struggle” to ensure that this “barbarity ends once and for all.”

PAN also recalls that another “very serious accident” recently occurred in Coruche (Santarem) that “endangered” the lives of a child and a young woman, and led the party to request a hearing with the Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security in the Assembly of the Republic and to question the government to see if it “will determine responsibility” for the incident and if it will establish age limits for attending and participating in bullfights.