City Hall of Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1 42240 Medinaceli , fax: + 34 975326053; email: [email protected]

President of the Diputación Prov. Soria C/ Caballeros, 17 Soria SORIA 42071 ph: +34 975 211089; fax: +34 975 101091 email: [email protected]

Diputación de Soria (Tourist Board) C / Caballeros, 17, 42002 Soria email: [email protected] web mail: http://www.sorianitelaimaginas.com/index.php/mod.formularios/mem.detalle/id.4

Presidente de la Junta de Castilla y León Juan Vicente Herrera Campo Pza. de Castilla y León, 1 C.P. 47008 Valladolid, SPAIN ph: 983 411 119, 983 411 120, 983 411 121; fax: +983 411 269 email: [email protected] web form: http://www.jcyl.es/web/jcyl/Gobierno/es/Plantilla100/1249127288822/_/_/_

Society for the Promotion du Tourisme de Castilla y León, SA PSEO Filipinos No 1, 1st floor. CP 47007 Valladolid ph: 983 360 556; fax: 983 350 205 email: [email protected]

Honorable Officials of Spain:

The Toro de Jubilo (Bull of Fire) is a grotesque spectacle that draws protests and tourism boycotts from around the world. Yet it continues to annually occur in Medinaceli, a province of Soria, Spain.

In light of the recent (July 2010) ban on bullfighting in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region, I find it shocking that officials in Soria still let jeering mobs taunt a bull with balls of burning tar or turpentine affixed to his horns. Caked in mud from legs to forehead, the animal slowly scorches. Some smash into walls to escape hours of agony.

“Some traditions can’t remain frozen in time as society changes,” Catalonian nationalist Jose Rull said when legislators voted to ban bullfighting. The Toro de Jubilo is frozen in time — an archaic and senseless brutalization of animals.

Please permanently cancel the Bull of Fire throughout Spain. I urge officials to enforce laws that shield animals from all forms of abuse, including vulgar rituals and blood fiestas.

Different cultures may not understand unique customs, but everyone recognizes animal cruelty. Heritage, entertainment, art and religion never justify outright torture.

Sincerely,