The Havana chapter of the animal welfare organization, Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana), has strongly condemned the ongoing practice of cockfighting in Cuba. Far from being a hidden activity, these brutal events are reportedly supported by state entities and overlooked by the authorities.
In a denunciation posted on Facebook, BAC-Habana declared that "a nation that normalizes pain cannot call itself humane," highlighting the institutionalized violence these spectacles represent.
This outcry came in response to reports from the Encrucijada municipality in Villa Clara, where residents claim that cockfights are proliferating without regulation or punishment.
According to BAC-Habana, these fights are not only tolerated but also endorsed by the state-run company ALCONA S.A., part of the Flora and Fauna Business Group. This institution has ties to a historical figure of the Cuban regime's leadership, Commander Guillermo García Frías.
From their farm on the outskirts of Havana, ALCONA breeds gamecocks, organizes fighting events, and exports birds abroad under a legal guise that BAC-Habana argues is "an affront to animal welfare."
The post reminds readers that although the Animal Welfare Decree-Law 31/2021 is in effect, it fails to prohibit cockfighting explicitly.
Instead, the law refers to veterinary inspections "during cockfighting," which activists interpret as an endorsement of cruelty rather than its condemnation.
"There have been attempts to justify this horror as part of Cuban cultural identity, as if blood and pain could symbolize Cuban-ness," the statement remarked.
BAC-Habana emphasized that every fight involves animals suffering, dying from severe wounds, and being forced to fight to exhaustion while applause attempts to drown out their cries of pain.
The organization called it shameful that the regime continues to allow such spectacles in the 21st century and urged an immediate review of the law.
"Cockfighting is animal abuse, just like dogfighting or any spectacle where a living being's life is used for entertainment. No tradition can justify suffering," the message concluded.
FAQs on Cockfighting in Cuba
Is cockfighting legal in Cuba?
While cockfighting is not explicitly prohibited, it is supported by certain state entities, making it effectively legal under current regulations.
What is BAC-Habana's stance on cockfighting?
BAC-Habana condemns cockfighting as a form of animal cruelty and calls for an immediate review of laws to prohibit such practices.
Who is behind the organization of cockfights in Cuba?
ALCONA S.A., a state-run company, is involved in organizing these events, with ties to historical figures of the Cuban regime.