By Danica Coto
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)
— Puerto Rico will defy the
U.S. government and approve
a law to keep cockfighting alive
in a bid to protect a 400-yearold
tradition practiced across
the island despite a federal ban
that goes into effect this week,
officials told The Associated
Press on Tuesday night.
The move brought cautious
rejoicing in the cockfighting
business despite concerns that
the U.S. territory is trying to
override a federal law that President
Donald Trump signed a
year ago.
“We are certainly challenging
a federal law. We know what
that implies,” Rep. Gabriel Rodriguez
Aguilo, who co-authored
the bill, told the AP.
He said that Gov. Wanda
Vazquez was scheduled to sign
the bill Wednesday morning
and that he expected the fight
to end up in federal court.
As word spread, those in the
cockfighting industry cheered
the news.
“There’s going to be work!”
exclaimed Domingo Ruiz, who
owns more than 30 cocks and
has spent more than half a
century in the business. “We’re
going to keep the fight alive.”
Cockfighting generates an
estimated $18 million a year
and employs some 27,000
people, according to the bill
approved by Puerto Rico’s
House and Senate.
Puerto Rico has 71 cockfighting
establishments in 45
municipalities licensed by the
island’s Department of Sports
and Recreation, said Secretary
Adriana Sanchez. She defended
the cockfighting tradition and
contended the U.S. government
banned fights for economic
and not animal welfare
reasons.
“Their instinct is to fight,”
she said of people in the business.
“The people who dedicate
themselves care for them and
train them.”
Animal rights activists have
long pushed to end cockfights
in U.S. territories, saying they
Caribbean Life, D 20 ec. 27, 2019-Jan. 2, 2020
are cruel and noting they are
illegal in all 50 U.S. states.
Wayne Pacelle, founder of
the Washington- based Animal
Wellness Action, said he
doesn’t believe the statistics on
Puerto Rico cockfighting.
“They are widely exaggerating
the economic value,” he
said. “Watching animals slash
each other just for human
entertainment and gambling
is not judged as a legitimate
enterprise by mainstream people.”
The measure says it is legal
for Puerto Rico to host cockfights
as long as people don’t
export or import cocks or any
goods or services related to
cockfighting. The latter actions
would violate the federal law,
based on how Puerto Rico officials
interpret it.
“It remains to be seen whether
that’s how federal authorities
understand it,” said Rep.
Luis Vega Ramos.
Vega sought unsuccessfully
to amend the measure to add
authorization for local officials
Fight night at the Campanillas cockfi ghting club, in Toa
Baja, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. Some Puerto
Rico legislators believe the fi ght over the federal ban on
cockfi ghts will end up in court, driving them underground
once again. Associated Press / Carlos Giusti
to not cooperate with federal
agents in prosecuting people
for cockfighting. But several
municipalities, including
the capital of San Juan, have
authorized municipal police
not to crack down on cockfighting.
Puerto Rico to approve
cockfighting, defy federal ban
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