Whether bullfighting should be prohibited is a matter for the people to decide, President López Obrador said on Wednesday.

The controversial issue is one that should be resolved with a referendum, a better way of deciding such issues than leaving them to the executive or legislative officials, he said.

“If I make a decision about bullfighting, it would look like an authoritarian act. But if it comes from a consultation and the majority speak, I could say, ‘It’s not me, it’s democracy, it’s law.’ Democracy strengthens authority.”

He noted that for a referendum’s results to be legally binding, the constitution would need to be changed.

“We would need to do a consultation to know everyone’s opinion, they’re controversial issues,” he said. “That’s why I think we need to change Article 35 of the constitution so that citizens can decide with referendums that will be binding.”

López Obrador also said he had instructed Education Secretary Esteban Moctezuma to include material about the mistreatment of animals in public school textbooks, which itself might be considered by some to be an authoritarian act.

Source: Reforma (sp)