Animal rights advocates in Cuba are being threatened for exposing animal abuse within Santería

The BAC-Habana group (Animal Welfare in Cuba, Havana section) reported receiving threats and intimidation after publishing several complaints about the mistreatment of animals during religious rituals practiced on the island.

The organization directly held a man identified as Jorge Goliat accountable on Facebook, accusing him of committing acts of animal cruelty under the guise of Afro-Cuban beliefs.

"If anything happens to any member of our team or collaborator, we hold Jorge Goliat directly responsible," states the official statement released by the association.

The text describes a situation of harassment that has been escalating and that, according to its members, has crossed "all boundaries of decency, ethics, and human respect."

BAC asserts that the attacks stem from the social and religious environment of this individual and that its members have received "violent, offensive, and degrading messages" for publicly denouncing a case of animal sacrifice.

"Religious people? If this is religion, then we're talking about a religion of hate," the group denounced, accusing the attackers of using faith as a pretext for violence.

The organization claims that Jorge Goliat engaged in ritual practices in which he mistreated and sacrificed a dog, an act they consider a crime of animal abuse as defined by current Cuban legislation.

"What this man did with that poor little dog constitutes a crime punishable by law. Furthermore, his activities as a supposed healer pose a direct threat to public health, as he performs manipulations without sterilization or sanitary conditions," stated the organization.

According to the publication, there are testimonies from individuals accusing the person of negligence and of having caused the deaths of several animals and even humans in the context of supposed healing or purification rituals.

BAC-Habana demanded immediate action from health and judicial authorities and warned that if any of its members suffers physical assaults or personal harm, Jorge Goliat will be considered the primary responsible party.

"The defense of life, justice, and truth is non-negotiable. Those who threaten them will answer to the law and to society," stated the organization.

In another post, the group announced that, according to their sources, the reported individual is currently in the Dominican Republic, and therefore the case has been formally transferred to the authorities of that country.

The report was sent to the Dominican National Police, the Animal Protection Unit of the Public Ministry / Attorney General's Office, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The file, which includes message screenshots, graphic evidence, and testimonies, has also been submitted to the office of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic and its Press Department, to demand oversight and transparency in judicial proceedings.

"We will not tolerate impunity shielding cruelty against innocent beings," emphasized the group, which has also requested citizen collaboration to provide additional evidence.

The organization criticized the lack of media coverage within Cuba and warned that it would refer the case to Dominican and regional outlets in order to exert public pressure on the authorities and prevent the case from going without consequences.

In a broader post titled “Cuba between Blood and Garbage: Animal Sacrifice Disguised as Religion,” BAC-Habana addressed the phenomenon of the ritual sacrifice of animals in Afro-Cuban religious practices such as the rule of Ocha, Palo Monte, or santería, denouncing its degradation into acts of cruelty and pollution.

The animal sacrifice disguised as religion is an atrocity that has ceased to provoke outrage, but should shock anyone with the slightest sense of conscience,” the group wrote.

"In the streets, there are remains of slaughtered animals, bloodied dolls, and black candles. What some call offerings, we see as a crime against life and dignity," they said.

The post, accompanied by images of animal remains discarded in parks and on sidewalks, condemns the inaction of health, environmental, and religious authorities regarding what they describe as “an ethical and ecological crisis.”

There is no spirituality where there is torture. There is no faith where there is death. What happens in Cuba is not religion: it is crime,” concludes the text.

BAC-Habana has been one of the voices within the country addressing the connection between religious fanaticism and animal abuse, a sensitive topic that divides public opinion.

While some advocates of Afro-Cuban religions argue that they are ancestral traditions protected by the freedom of worship, activists and environmentalists are calling for stricter regulations and a ban on animal sacrifice in rituals.

Despite Cuba approving its Animal Welfare Law in 2021, activists claim that the regulation is applied unevenly and lacks effective protection mechanisms.

"Reports of animal cruelty end in silence or without investigation," they assert.

In Cuba, the use of animals in religious rituals has sparked growing social controversy, especially due to the suffering inflicted during these acts.

Recently, a Catholic priest publicly condemned an Afro-Cuban sacrifice carried out in front of his church in El Vedado, where the remains of dying turtles and dead roosters were left abandoned.

The incident sparked criticism regarding the government's permissiveness and the lack of regulations to ensure respect for public spaces and the rights of animals.

The reports are not limited to animals sacrificed in Afro-Cuban religious contexts. In another widely circulated case on social media, the decapitation of a stray dog was reported as part of an offering, eliciting outrage among activists and citizens who demand that these practices be classified and penalized more strictly under the current animal welfare legislation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Cruelty and Santería in Cuba