Amateur Bullfighters
Risk Their Lives For
Seconds of Fame
What's Zapote without
the bulls? And what is
the bull run without the
bullfighters? The death
of amateur bullfighter,
Rodolfo González, jabbed
by the horns “El Jabalí”
on January 1 has raised
questions why young "Ticos"
risk their lives and
without any insurance
just to hear the jeers
of the crowd and the
close ups of the
television cameras.
Everyone knows that "Ticos"
will do just about
anything to get on
television. And the
Zapote bullfights are a
prime example, where
young men, for no fee or
compensation, will
subject themselves to
possible injury and
death for a few seconds
of fame on local
television.
"Unfortunately without
the bullfighters, people
will not come to the
bull ring", said
Heriberto Abarca Fuente
one of owners of the
bulls at the Zapote
fair.
González was horned by
El Jabali during the
running of the bulls on
January 1 at 9:00pm
event. He later died in
hospital.
Currently there is no
legislation to obligates
the organizers of the
event to insure the
amateur bullfighters
against injury or death.
For criminal lawyer,
Henry Vega, he considers
that the "Ley de
Consumidor" (consumer
law) should impose the
responsibility of the
security of the amateur
bullfighters on the
owners of the bullring.
For the ministra de
Salud (Health minister,
María Luis Ávila, she
assures that her
officials will be
reviewing the running of
the bulls and feels that
the amateur bullfighters
should have insurance.
The minister did not
discard the possibility
of a government decree
to control the bulls
used in the ring.
Marcelo Gamboa, legal
advisor of BGL, the
owners of the bullring,
said that the amateur
bullfighters are warned
of the danger they are
exposing themselves to
and are asked to have
insurance, however, the
INS (the state insurer)
does not have specific
policy that covers
bullfights.
While the family of
Rodolfo González suffer
their loss, Rosibel Lobo
(Rodolfo's mother) said
that the family will not
be suing the owners of
the bullring nor the
bull due to the high
cost of legal fees.
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