The sokamuturra will once again be celebrated during the San Juan festivities in Eibar, following the rejection of a proposal by Elkarrekin Podemos to suspend this popular event. The initiative only garnered support from the aforementioned party, while EH Bildu abstained and the governing groups, PSE-EE and PNV, voted against it.
This decision resolves any uncertainty regarding the celebration of an activity that returns to the festive program this year and had only previously taken place once in the Unzaga square. The debate had generated significant controversy in recent weeks, with mobilizations from animal rights groups and citizen initiatives supporting the festival's continuation.
Although the suspension proposal was rejected, the council did approve a motion presented by the PNV. This motion calls for the immediate opening of a dialogue and contrast space between the City Council, political groups, and social agents to analyze the suitability of maintaining this event in future festival editions.
The PNV's initiative passed with the support of EH Bildu and further proposes to promote, within the festival commission, a citizen participation and consultation process. This would allow for the collection of diverse existing sensitivities on the matter and the study of potential consultation mechanisms to serve as a basis for future decisions.
During the debate, the PNV emphasized the need to address this issue through reflection and consensus. The PNV representatives recalled that in 2016 the City Council unanimously approved promoting a review process regarding the presence of animals in local festivities, which led to the practical disappearance of such activities in recent years. In their view, the reintroduction of the sokamuturra disrupts a dynamic maintained continuously for nearly a decade and requires calm assessment.
The PNV representatives also noted that the debate occurred amidst increasing social polarization and just days before the start of the festivities, a circumstance that, in their opinion, advises opening dialogue spaces for a serene analysis of the continuity of such activities.
For its part, Elkarrekin Podemos advocated for the suspension of the festival, citing animal welfare concerns and questioning the inclusion of animal-based spectacles in the festive program. The party maintained that the revival of the sokamuturra has sparked broad social debate and believes the City Council should move towards a festive model that distances itself from activities involving animal use.
A manifesto drafted by young people in favor of the sokamuturra's continuation was also read during the session. The text argued that this tradition has been part of Eibar's festive history for over two centuries and highlighted the support received through a petition that gathered over 900 signatures in just twenty-four hours. The promoters demanded respect for an activity they consider integrated into the popular culture of Eibar.
From the PSE-EE, criticism was particularly directed at the PNV's stance. The socialists considered it contradictory that their governing partner promoted this initiative in Eibar while, as they pointed out during the debate, supporting regulations favorable to such popular festivities in other institutions.
Socialist representatives argued that the sokamuturra is a legal activity and its inclusion responds to a demand from a segment of the citizenry. With the rejection of the suspension motion, the sokamuturra will ultimately be part of this year's San Juan festivities. However, the approval of the PNV's proposal opens the door to a process of reflection and participation that could influence the future of this festival in upcoming editions.
The plenary session took place in an atmosphere of notable anticipation, with the presence of residents both for and against the sokamuturra celebration. During the debate, applause from the audience greeted the interventions of the groups that defended the festival's continuity and rejected its suspension. The plenary session originated from the municipal decision to reinstate the sokamuturra in the San Juan program this year, an activity historically part of Eibar's festivities in the form of bull calves and 'embolados', returning after a decade of absence, despite bullfights and festivals being prohibited.
