A 71 year old man died Saturday after being fatally gored by a bull during the opening night of a traditional bullfighting festival in northwestern Spain, marking the first death at the event in 40 years.
Eustaquio Martin died on February 14, 2026, following the incident at approximately 1:00 AM local time during the first nighttime bullfighting event of the Carnaval del Toro (Carnival of the Bull) in Ciudad Rodrigo, located near Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon.
Martin was in a bullring when an animal charged him, piercing the upper part of his ribcage with its horn. Dr. Enrique Crespo, head of the medical team present at the event, told local outlet La Gaceta that the bleeding was uncontrollable and catastrophic.
Emergency medical personnel immediately transported Martin to a local infirmary, but his condition was already critical. He entered the infirmary in agony and died less than one minute later, according to Dr. Crespo. The wound, in the center of his chest, left his heart partially destroyed and half a lung damaged.
Martin was a popular member of the local bullfighting community who worked at the festival each year, according to La Gaceta. His death prompted an immediate outpouring of grief from residents and festival organizers.
Ciudad Rodrigo Mayor Marcos Iglesias Caridad confirmed the fatal accident in a Facebook post on Saturday. As you know from the media, sadly a countryman of ours, very dear, has died in the night capea, Caridad wrote. We send a hug to his family and friends and are with them in their grief.
The mayor announced that a moment of silence would be held at 11:00 AM Sunday morning in the area of the Pinos, just before the Toro del Antruejo event. Photos shared by Caridad from the vigil showed a crowd gathered in a town square with heads bowed in honor of Martin.
The incident marks the first death at the Carnaval del Toro in four decades. The previous fatality occurred in 1986 when a man named Miguel Angel Garzon died during a bullfighting event at the same festival.
The festival’s official Facebook page shared a statement expressing shock over the tragedy. It is one of the things we would have never liked to see or live. We are shocked, the statement read. It is something we knew was happening in the libraries. Remembering that date in 1986 started to result from another era, another way to understand our Carnival.
The organizers noted they had witnessed many participants saved by the formidable medical teams present at the festival over the years. It seemed like this would never happen again, the statement continued.
The Carnaval del Toro is one of the oldest traditional carnivals of its kind in Spain, dating back centuries. The festival begins on the last Friday before Lent each year and runs for several days. Like the more internationally famous San Fermin festival in Pamplona, the Ciudad Rodrigo carnival involves releasing bulls that chase participants through city streets to the main square.
The main square of Ciudad Rodrigo transforms into a bullfighting arena during the carnival, surrounded by fences and tribunes. Amateur participants enter the ring to engage with the bulls in events known as capeas, a traditional form of bullfighting where participants without professional training attempt to avoid charging animals.
The festival attracts thousands of visitors annually to the historic walled city, which has a population of approximately 12,000 residents. Ciudad Rodrigo sits near the border with Portugal, approximately 90 kilometers southwest of Salamanca.
Bullfighting related injuries and fatalities occur periodically across Spain despite safety regulations and medical personnel stationed at events. In September 2025, a 57 year old man was fatally gored in Ubrique, Cadiz province, when a bull named Mosquetero repeatedly gored him against a wall as he attempted to climb to safety during a bull run.
Professional matador Ivan Fandino died in France in April 2025 after being gored twice during a bullfighting festival. The unpredictable nature of bulls and the close proximity of participants contribute to the inherent risks associated with traditional bullfighting events.
Spain’s bullfighting tradition spans centuries and remains culturally significant in many regions, though it has become increasingly controversial in recent decades. Animal rights activists have campaigned for bans on bullfighting, citing animal cruelty concerns. Several Spanish regions including Catalonia have implemented restrictions or outright bans on certain bullfighting practices.
Supporters of the tradition argue it represents an important part of Spanish cultural heritage and provides economic benefits to communities that host festivals. The debate over bullfighting’s place in modern Spanish society continues to generate passionate responses from both proponents and opponents.
The Carnaval del Toro continued following Martin’s death, though the tragedy cast a somber atmosphere over subsequent events. Festival organizers typically implement safety protocols including medical teams stationed throughout venues, barriers to separate spectators from bulls, and restrictions on participation by intoxicated individuals.
However, the amateur nature of capea events, where untrained participants enter rings with bulls, creates elevated risk compared to professional bullfighting where matadors receive extensive training in techniques for avoiding charges and positioning themselves safely.
Martin’s death prompted renewed discussion about safety measures at traditional bullfighting festivals across Spain. While professional bullfighting follows strict regulations governing matador qualifications and bull characteristics, amateur events operate under less stringent oversight that allows broader participation.
The Ciudad Rodrigo municipal government has not announced whether any changes to festival protocols will be implemented in response to the fatality. The investigation into the specific circumstances surrounding Martin’s death remains ongoing.
