Cockfighting in Cuba: clandestine venues, state arenas
Florida News ı By USA Herald
2,280 0 Comments
By Sarah Marsh and Alexandre Meneghini
CIEGO DE AVILA (Reuters) - Cuban farmer Pascual Ferrel says his favorite fighting cock's prowess was "off the charts," so after it died of illness he had the black and red rooster preserved and displays it on his mantelpiece beside a television.
"He fought six times and was invincible," the 64-year old recalled fondly, talking over the crowing of 60 birds in his farmyard in the central Cuban region of Ciego de Avila.
Though it is banned in many parts of the world, cockfighting is favored throughout the Caribbean and in Cuba its popularity is growing.
Last year, Ciego de Avila opened its first official cockfighting arena with 1,000 seats, the largest in Cuba, to the dismay of animal rights activists who see it as a step backward.
Cockfighting is a blood sport because of the harm cocks do to each other in cockpits, exacerbated by metal spurs that can be attached to birds' own spurs.
After the 1959 revolution, Cuba cracked down on cockfighting as part of a ban on gambling, recalls Ferrel.
Over the years that stance has softened. Official arenas have opened and hidden arenas are tolerated as long as there are no brawls.
"'People say: if the government is allowed to hold cockfights, why can't we?" says Nora Garcia Perez, head of Cuban animal welfare association Aniplant.
Enthusiasts argue that cockfighting is a centuries-old tradition. Critics say it is cruel, and they blame its popularity on lack of entertainment options, poor education on animal welfare, and its money-making potential.
In Ciego de Avila, there is a different clandestine arena for every day of the week, some hidden among marabu brush or in sugarcane fields, down dirt tracks with no signs.
People carrying cockerels in slings or under their arms travel to these venues by horse-drawn carriage, bicycle or in candy-colored vintage American cars.
Arenas made of wood and palm fronds operate like fairgrounds. Ranchera music blasts from loudspeakers, roasted pork and rum are sold and tables are set up with dice and card games.
"You'll see how fun this is," says Yaidelin Rodriguez, 32, a regular with her husband, writing in a notebook bets she has placed on her cock.
Gambling is outlawed in Cuba but wads of cash exchange hands at most arenas. Enthusiasts wear baseball caps that read "Cocks win me money, women take it away."
In the Ciego de Avila official arena, foreigners pay up to $60 for a front row seat. At concealed arenas, mainly a local affair, seats are $2 to $8, a princely sum in a country where the average monthly state salary is $25.
FOLLOW US
Recent Posts
A Violent July 4 Attack Leads To Federal Convictions For…
Trump UFO Directive Could Shake Religion Science And Power Structures…
Ancient Astronomers Warned That Strange Skies Precede Global Upheaval—Why Their…
Oil, War, and the Insurance Shockwave Already Hitting America
US Navy Prepares To Escort Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz…
War Insurance Reality Americans Face Even When the Battlefield Is…
“There Is Nothing They Can Do About It” Trump Declares…
Don’t Miss It
Supreme Court Asked To Step In As 98-Year-Old Federal Judge Pauline Newman Fights Suspension From The Bench
By – Samuel LopezThomas Medlin Found Dead in Brooklyn Waters After Two-Month Search
By – Rachel MooreAmerican Refuelling Aircraft Crashed in Iraq During Military Operation
By – Rachel MooreAstronomers Witness Birth of a Magnetar in Explosive Cosmic Event
By – Rachel MooreFirefly Launches Alpha Flight 7 Mission Successfully from California Spaceport
By – Rachel MooreMicrosoft Copilot Health AI Tool Launches to Help Users Understand Medical Data
By – Rachel MooreFTC Refunds for Invitation Homes: $47.2 Million Headed to Hundreds of Thousands of Renters
By – Rihem AkkouchePalantir and Nvidia Partnership Unveiled as AI Alliances Expand at AIPCon 9
By – Rihem Akkouche
Kelly Warner Law Firm Blames USA Herald for Arizona Bar Investigation
In what appears as a desperate attempt to defend multiple allegations of fraud on the courts, the Kelly Warner Law…
By – USA Herald
Aaron Kelly Law Firm Resorts To Attacking Former Client Again On KellyWarnerLaw.com – Pattern Recognized
Attorney Aaron Kelly and his law partner Daniel Warner are currently under investigation by the Arizona Bar for legal misconduct.…
By – Jeff Watterson
Arizona Bar Opens Investigation on Attorney Aaron Kelly
USA Herald recently reported on a developing story involving Attorneys Daniel Warner and Aaron Kelly. Both Warner and Kelly have…
By – Paul O'Neal
Old Dominion University Shooting Investigated as Terrorism After Gunman Identified
Authorities have identified the suspect in the Old Dominion University Shooting, a violent campus attack that left one person dead…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Gulf Travelers’ Jet Prices Soar as War Disrupts Middle East Air Travel
As conflict intensifies across the Middle East, a sudden and dramatic shift in air travel has unfolded. The escalating war…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Shooting at Michigan Synagogue Leaves Suspect Dead After Security Confrontation
A violent incident unfolded Thursday afternoon at Temple Israel, where authorities say a suspect rammed a truck into the synagogue…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Stolen Military Drones And The Emerging Threat of Foreign UAV Attacks On The California Coast
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – A quiet warning issued to California law-enforcement agencies has raised a troubling…
By – Samuel Lopez
Hollywood’s “Disclosure Day” And Washington’s Silence Raise Questions About Timing of UFO Transparency
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – A curious convergence is beginning to capture attention among observers of government transparency, national…
By – Samuel Lopez
The World Cup Security Reckoning: Trump Warns Iran Soccer Team About Safety As War Tensions Spill Into Global Sports
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – A short Truth-Social post from President Donald Trump on Thursday morning is now…
By – Samuel Lopez
The World Cup Security Reckoning: Trump Warns Iran Soccer Team About Safety As War Tensions Spill Into Global Sports
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – A short Truth-Social post from President Donald Trump on Thursday morning is now…
By – Samuel Lopez
Scientists Identify 22 Anomalies In Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS As It Leaves The Solar System
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is now fading from view, heading back into deep space…
By – Samuel Lopez
Iran Appears To Have Conducted Its First Major Cyberattack Against A U.S. Company, Since The War Began – New Front Opens Against American Healthcare
An alleged Iran-linked cyberattack on Stryker appears to mark a dangerous turn in the conflict, pushing digital retaliation from nuisance-level…
By – Samuel Lopez
Hormuz Shock Hits U.S. Legal And Insurance Sectors As War Risk, Cargo Claims And Contract Fights Begin to Spread
By Samuel A. Lopez | USA Herald – The developing Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer just an energy-market…
By – Samuel Lopez
Beyond Gas Prices The Strait of Hormuz Crisis Could Hit Fertilizer, Plastics, Aluminum And Global Supply Chains
By Samuel Lopez | USA Herald – Right now, most Americans hearing about the Strait of Hormuz are thinking about…
By – Samuel Lopez
Fani Willis Blocked From Trump Fee Fight As Georgia Judge Lets $16.8 Million Reimbursement Battle Move Forward
INSIDE THIS REPORT A Georgia judge has ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis cannot re-enter the collapsed Trump…
By – Samuel Lopez
Cumulus Media Files for Chapter 11 as Radio Giant Moves to Cut Massive Debt
In a dramatic turn for one of America’s largest radio broadcasters, Cumulus Media has filed for bankruptcy protection, seeking a…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Gordie Howe Bridge Tolls Revealed Ahead of Spring Opening
The long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge is inching closer to welcoming travelers, and officials have finally unveiled a key piece…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Nasa Satellite to Crash to Earth as Spacecraft Re-enters Atmosphere
A Nasa satellite to crash to Earth has prompted warnings from space officials, who say debris from the aging spacecraft…
By – Rachel Moore
Lux Aeterna $10M Seed Funding Fuels Ambitious Reusable Satellite Vision
A Colorado startup aiming to change how satellites operate — and survive — in space has secured fresh investment to…
By – Rachel Moore
Jupiter’s Shift Direction Lights Up the Night Sky Again
Skywatchers may notice something unusual unfolding overhead this week as Jupiter’s shift direction brings an end to months of celestial…
By – Rachel Moore
Google and Tesla Power Grid Initiative Targets Lower Energy Costs
Two of the world’s most influential technology companies are stepping into the energy policy arena, launching a campaign they say…
By – Rachel Moore
Trump’s Laser Talk Sparks New Questions About America’s Secret Arsenal
President Donald Trump has once again done what he often does best in moments of war and tension: he dropped…
By – Samuel Lopez
The Northern Lights Return
The Northern Lights have a chance to be visible from several northern U.S. states on Tuesday night, forecasters at the…
By – Jackie Allen
February Unemployment Up as Job Losses Surprise Economists
February Unemployment Up as the latest labor market data revealed weaker-than-expected job growth and a slight increase in the national…
By – Jackie Allen
Late-Night Attack by Venezuelan National at Florida Beach
A Late-night attack by a Venezuelan National has left a Florida community shaken after authorities say a 26-year-old man ambushed…
By – Jackie Allen
Trump’s War in Iran: Congress Confronts Escalation After U.S. Strikes
Trump’s War in Iran was triggered open conflict, casualties, and renewed constitutional debate in Washington. The crisis intensified following reports…
By – Jackie Allen
U.S. And Israel Launch Major Strikes On Iran — What It Means For America
TEHRAN, Iran – In a dramatic escalation of global tensions, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran…
By – Samuel Lopez
Fani Willis Blocked From Trump Fee Fight As Georgia Judge Lets $16.8 Million Reimbursement Battle Move Forward
INSIDE THIS REPORT A Georgia judge has ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis cannot re-enter the collapsed Trump…
By – Samuel Lopez
FBI Bulletin Raises Troubling Questions About California’s Readiness
[USA HERALD] – A leaked FBI bulletin has now forced an uncomfortable question into the open along California’s coast. If…
By – Samuel Lopez
Google and Tesla Power Grid Initiative Targets Lower Energy Costs
Two of the world’s most influential technology companies are stepping into the energy policy arena, launching a campaign they say…
By – Rachel Moore
Medtronic to Buy Scientia Vascular in $550 Million Neurovascular Deal
In a move poised to reshape the future of stroke treatment technology, Medtronic to buy Scientia Vascular marks a major…
By – Rachel Moore
Winklevoss Twins’ Bitcoin Transfer Sparks Market Speculation
A wave of cryptocurrency movement tied to the founders of the Gemini exchange is drawing fresh attention across the digital…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Alabama Man Fatal Shooting Death Sentence Commuted by Governor
In a rare act of clemency that halted an imminent execution, the Alabama man fatal shooting death sentence tied to…
By – Rihem Akkouche
When The Files Are Finally Unsealed The Most Mind-Bending Truth May Not Be What We Expect
[USA HERALD] – There is a widespread assumption that if governments release their most highly classified files related to unidentified…
By – Samuel Lopez
Civil Rights Icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies at 84 As President Trump Issues Personal Tribute
[USA HERALD] — The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure of the American civil rights movement whose career spanned more than…
By – Samuel Lopez
Clues to Savannah Guthrie Missing Mom’s Disappearance Found on Security System
The disappearance of the mother of Savannah Guthrie has taken a dramatic turn as investigators focus on digital clues tied…
By – Jackie Allen
Mike Tyson Urges Americans to ‘Eat Real Food’ in Emotional Super Bowl Ad Highlighting Health Risks
Boxing legend Mike Tyson is using his platform ahead of Super Bowl 60 to address a personal and national health…
By – Tyler Brooks
Deadly “Death Cap” Mushrooms in California Cause Multiple Deaths and Liver Transplants Amid Rare Super Bloom
California health officials are warning the public after four deaths and three liver transplants linked to the highly toxic death…
By – Ahmed Boughalleb
From Migraines to Miracles: How Becca Valle Survived a Glioblastoma Diagnosis Against the Odds
Becca Valle, 41, thought her headaches were just migraines—until a sudden, unbearable pain revealed something far more serious. In September…
By – Tyler Brooks
Cadillac Names Inaugural Formula 1 Car MAC-26 in Tribute to Mario Andretti Ahead of 2026 Australian Grand Prix Debut
Cadillac has officially revealed the name of its first Formula 1 challenger, confirming that its 2026 car will be called…
By – Ahmed Boughalleb
Norway Tops Medal Table After Day 13 at 2026 Winter Olympics as Team USA Surges Into Second Place
With 13 days complete at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Norway sits atop the overall medal standings, collecting 34…
By – Ahmed Boughalleb
Olympic Science Explained: How Figure Skaters Spin at Blinding Speeds Without Getting Dizzy
When Amber Glenn finishes her routine, the arena usually rises with her. The music builds, her blades carve a tight…
By – Tyler Brooks
Olympic Villages Run Out of Condoms at 2026 Milan-Cortina Games
Condom supplies in the Olympic Villages at the 2026 Winter Games have been temporarily depleted, the Milan-Cortina organizing committee confirmed,…
By – Tyler Brooks
Arizona Authorities Escalate Search for Savannah Guthrie’s Mom to a Criminal Investigation
In Arizona, police are intensifying their investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s Mom. The 84-year-old mother of…
By – Jackie AllenAs conversations around sexuality continue to expand, so does the language we use to describe it. Sexuality terms are gaining…
By – Jackie AllenNo posts found.
No posts found.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!