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The police in Pinar del Río dismantled an illegal cockfighting ring in the town of Herradura, within the municipality of Consolación del Sur, as reported by the pro-government Facebook profile "De Pinar soy".
The publication -with a moralizing tone- did not mention the animal abuse that this activity entails, but rather justified the operation by arguing that the fences "promote public disorder," incite the consumption of alcohol and drugs, and "facilitate the development of social evils such as prostitution."
The message concluded with a warning: “The LAWS are meant to be upheld”, reminding that offenders face fines, citations, and “imprisonment.”
The double standard of the State
What the official profile omitted is that the regime itself operates legal cockfights through ALCONA S.A., a company affiliated with the Flora and Fauna Business Group and connected to the historical commander Guillermo García Frías.
The Decree-Law 31/2021 on Animal Welfare prohibits inducing fights between animals, but it includes an exception for fights authorized by the competent authority, which in practice allows ALCONA to operate legal cockfighting clubs while the police pursue illegal fights.
Cubans were quick to point out that contradiction. "Why don’t they play the one about the main cockfighting promoter? Guillermo García," asked a user.
Another was more direct: "Double standards, those belong to the state-owned company Flora and Fauna, which is nothing more than a profit-driven enterprise... We can't touch them."
A third commentator summarized the widespread perception: "What they don't want is competition; illegal billboards generate income for many families... and provide better security in the same environment than state billboards."
Accusations of police corruption
Several users questioned the real reasons behind the operation.
“They did that because the owner of the billboard didn’t pay the police chief, he didn’t fulfill the contract”, one wrote, suggesting that the intervention was a settlement due to corruption rather than an enforcement of the law.
Distrust extended to the issue of actual crime.
"Meanwhile, the thief is bold and unafraid even during the day, because a rooster fence and four motorcycles with a reducer are more important... what madness," criticized a netizen, regretting that the police do not focus on other types of crimes.
Another person recounted their experience: "They stole everything from my house... they had the main suspect locked up for two days and released him because he didn't confess anything... the thieves are already authorized."
The conclusion of many was the same: "Catching the thieves comes with sacrifices... it's easier to take the easy route."
An escape from the crisis
In a municipality suffering from blackouts and chronic shortages, Cubans defend the fences as one of the few available spaces for entertainment.
“At least they find entertainment in the cockfights, because without electricity, without food, it’s quite frustrating,” wrote a commentator.
The tradition of cockfighting in Cuba has documented roots since 1737. The Penal Code classifies prohibited games in article 251, with penalties ranging from one to four years for organizers and three to nine months or fines for participants.
In January 2021, the police confiscated 423,000 pesos and 58 fine roosters from a citizen in a similar case.
The organization BAC-Habana reported in November 2025 that cockfighting in Cuba is not clandestine but rather supported by the regime itself through ALCONA S.A. Shortly after, the Cuban bank blocked the organization's account.
The response from the Cubans to the operation in Herradura was clear: "They broke that one, we’ll make 5 more, this is definitely what we like."
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