City Hall of Medinaceli Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Medinaceli. Plaza del Ayuntamiento, n 1.C.P: 42240; Medinaceli (Soria) fax: + 34 975326053; email: [email protected] Diputación Provincial de Soria C/ Caballeros, 17 Soria; 42002 Soria - ESPAÑA ph: 975 10 10 00; email: [email protected] President of the Diputación Provincial de Soria C/ Caballeros, 17 Soria; SORIA 42071 ph: +34 975 211089; fax: +34 975 101091 email: [email protected] Presidente de la Junta de Castilla y Leon Plaza de Castilla y Leon, 1, Spain fax: + 34 983411269; email: [email protected] Turism of Soria: [email protected] Turism of Castilla y León: [email protected] Prime Minister of Spain Presidente del Gobierno, D. Rodriguez Zapatero Complejo de La Moncloa; 28071 Madrid, Spain email: [email protected] Ministry of the Interior (the entity that governs bullfights in Spain) Ministerio del Interior, Pº de la Castellana, 5; 28071 Madrid, Spain fax: + 34 915371177; email: [email protected] Honorable Officials of Spain: Animal cruelty is not acceptable as entertainment or tradition in the 21st Century. Yet the Toro Júbilo annually occurs in Medinaceli, a province of Soria, Spain. Jeering mobs harass a bull with balls of burning tar or turpentine (called “pitch”) attached to his horns. A bull’s horns, body and eyes are scorched. Some try to escape hours of agony by smashing into walls. Archaic spectacles tarnish Spain’s reputation and hinder tourism. I cannot support any society that ignores the senseless brutalization of animals. I will advise others to join me in a boycott of Spanish tourism and commerce until the Toro Jubilo and other blood fiestas are permanently banned. I urge the Spanish government to enforce stronger animal protection laws that shield animals from all forms of abuse, including vulgar rituals and blood fiestas. While different cultures may not understand each other’s customs, all rational humans comprehend cruelty. Setting fire to a live animal — known as Toro de Fuego or "bull on fire" — is sadistic. It is time for all regions of Spain to subscribe to the ethical doctrines that shape our civilized world. Heritage, entertainment, art and religion never justify outright torture. Thank you, .