Tuesday Mar 28, 2023 - Colombia - Bullfighting Ban, Losing Drug War US Support, Chicha is making a comeback

These are the trending news headlines in Colombia on Tuesday March 28, 2023

Colombia could become the latest country to ban bullfighting as the nation's House of Representatives considers legislation introduced by Senator Andrea Padilla, a long-time animal rights activist. The Senate has already approved the measure that would ban the practice within three years and impose immediate reforms on bullfighting shows. The legislation bars the use of some weapons and the killing of the animal, but supporters of bullfighting say those measures would effectively end the tradition. In a November public opinion study, 85% of Colombians supported a ban on bullfights. However, some politicians have been unwilling to support the measure, preferring instead to "moderate" bullfights by making some of the weapons used less violent.

Colombia's fight against drug trafficking is at risk of losing US support due to rising coca output and a proposed bill that could allow criminal gangs to surrender and potentially receive pardons, warns Attorney General Francisco Barbosa. The bill, supported by leftist President Gustavo Petro, seeks to end the role of criminal groups in the country's internal conflict. However, Barbosa argues that the proposed legislation would allow criminals to break the law, launder assets, and benefit from large-scale drug trafficking. He also expresses concern that Colombia's decision to reduce manual eradication of coca and suspend aerial spraying of drug crops with the pesticide glyphosate would increase coca output. Colombia receives $450 million in annual assistance from the US, and a potential de-certification could result in a loss of funding. Barbosa emphasizes the need for Colombia to fight against becoming a narco-state and highlights that total peace cannot be achieved by merely emptying jails.

Chicha, an indigenous drink made from fermented corn, has been making a comeback in Colombia despite being officially outlawed since 1949. Villainised and stigmatised for over a century, chicha was said to cause a disease named chichismo, which led to a slow deterioration of the body and mind. The indigenous Muisca people, who inhabited the high mountainous plateau where Bogotá is today, made chicha using their traditional process centuries before Europeans arrived. The women chewed the corn and spat the mash into a clay bowl to start the fermentation initiated by their saliva. Only the wise women of the community were allowed to chew the corn, as they would pass their wisdom into the chicha so others could ingest it. Originally produced in small amounts, chicha was reserved only for special celebrations or ceremonies, but today it can be found in half the places around Bogotá.

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