In Brazil, cowboys protest against ban on “vaquejada”

A group of vaqueiros [cowboys] protested Tuesday (Oct. 11) in Brasília against the Supreme Court's decision, which ruled illegal the vaquejada in the country.

"Over some criticism, mostly posts on social media, we have decided to show society what our vaquejada really is. Vaquejada is a meeting of families, vaquejada is a tradition; it's culture, income," said Wildemberg Sales, one of the organizers of Legal Vaquejada Movement in the Federal District (DF). According to him, there are 45 vaquejada training centers in the federal capital.

Very common in the Northeast region of Brazil, the vaquejada is a competitive practice in which the cowboy aims to knock over the bull by pulling the animal by the tail.

According to Sales, part of society does not know the sport and confuses it with other practices, in which animals are treated with cruelty, like the Farra do Boi [Festival of the ox], in which the animal is killed. He says that in vaquejada, the animal is not harmed. He also said that throughout the country, about 700,000 families earn a living from vaquejada. For Sales, this is another reason for not prohibiting the practice.

Last week, the Brazilian Supreme Court ruled that the vaquejada is against the constitution. The subject came into matter when the government of the state of Ceará approved a state law regulating the practice. The lawsuit was filed by the Attorney General's Office (PGR), appealing that animals were treated with cruelty. After the decision was taken by the justices, the practice became illegal.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta