Honorable Officials of Brazil:

Brazil's Farra do Boi does not belong in the modern world. In over 30 coastal villages throughout Santa Catarina, adults and children annually observe "Oxen Fun Days" with the brutal torture of several hundred oxen. This Holy Week ritual-which symbolizes the Passion of Jesus (the oxen represent Judas) or celebrates weddings, birthdays and other milestones-is clearly inhumane.

I will not spend my tourism dollars in Brazil until the State of Santa Catarina recognizes the Brazilian Supreme Court ruling of 1997 that bans Farra do Boi. I encourage officials to uphold this law with the arrest and prosecution of those who break it.

What was once an Easter or New Year's Day spectacle has sprawled into a weekly pastime for some communities. Revelers armed with sticks, knives, whips, stones, bamboo lances, and ropes chase a terrified ox through the streets for three or more days of stabbing and bludgeoning.

In the frenzy, participants flick pepper into the ox's eyes and often gouge them out. Partakers break the ox's horns and legs and sever his tail. World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) correspondents in Brazil have observed gasoline-soaked animals set on fire. Finally, the besieged animal is drowned in the ocean or killed and butchered for consumption.

Our world is a rainbow of religious and cultural mores, as unique as the countries that practice them. Ordinarily, people respect foreign customs even if they do not understand them. But cruelty never passes for "custom," in any culture.

Moreover, Federal law number 9605/98 specifies deliberate animal torture as a crime in Brazil. Your assistance is necessary to assure animal abusers are penalized to the fullest extent under the law.

Citizens of the world are appalled by the lax regulations that allow this vulgar ritual to take place year after year. Polls indicate that most Brazilians do not favor the Farra do Boi. It is time for the State of Santa Catarina to comply with the decision of the Supreme Tribunal Federal. The Farra do Boi is banned. Please enforce the law.

Thank you,

1.) SEND COMMENTS TO BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS & TOURISM AGENCIES:
EMAIL BLOCK [copy & paste]
camich@pm.sc.gov.br, cmtg@pm.sc.gov.br, ssp@ssp.sc.gov.br, governador@scc.sc.gov.br, governo@brasil.gov.br, dpm@cptec.inpe.br, cartas@jb.com.br, cgmp@mp.sc.gov.br, cme@mp.sc.gov.br, ci@alesc.sc.gov.br, joao.vasconcellos@embratur.gov.br, visitbrazil@braziltourism.org, info@discoverlatinamerica.com, pgj@mp.sc.gov.br

DETAILED CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PART 1.) OF THIS ALERT:
Dr. Luiz Henrique da Silveira
Governado do Estado de Santa Catarina
Centro Administrativo, camich@pm.sc.gov.b

Coronel Ivan Morelli
Comandante Geral da Policia Militar de SC
email: cmtg@pm.sc.gov.br

Dr. Ronaldo Benedet
Secretario de Seguranca Publica
Rus Esteves Junior, email: ssp@ssp.sc.gov.br

Gabinete da Chefia do Executivo
Centro Administrativo
Luiz Henrique da Silveira
Governador de Estado
Rod. SC 401 - km. 5, 4600 - Saco Grande
Florian�polis - SC
email: governador@scc.sc.gov.br

Minist�rio P�blico de Santa Catarina - Procuradoria Geral da Justi�a
R. Bocai�va, 1750 - Centro
88015-904 Florian�polis - SC
ph: 048-229-9000; fax: 048-223-2170
email: pgj@mp.sc.gov.br
website: www.mp.sc.gov.br
Pedro S�rgio Steil, Procurador-Geral

2.) Cc COMMENTS TO THE BRAZILIAN EMBASSY IN YOUR COUNTRY:< br> Brazilian Embassy in Washington, DC
3006 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008-3634
ph: 202-238-2700; fax: 202-238-2827
website: www.brasilemb.org

Consular Service
3009 Whitehaven Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008-3634
ph: 202-238-2828; fax: 202-238-2818
email: consular@brasilemb.org

Embassy of Brazil in London
32 Green Street
London W1K 7AT
ph: 020 7399 9000; email: info@brazil.org.uk
website: www.brazil.org.uk/

Embassy of Brazil in Canada
Brazilian Embassy in Ottawa
450 Wilbrod Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6M8
ph: 613-237-1090, 613-755-5160; fax: 613-237-6144
email: mailbox@brasembottawa.org
website: www.deltatranslator.com/brazil-emb- consul.htm#canada

Consulate General of Brazil in Toronto
77 Bloor Street West, Suites 1109 and 1105
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1M2
ph: 416-922-2503; fax: 416-922-1832
email: mail@consbrastoronto.org

Embassy of Brazil in Australia
19, Forster Crescent - Yarralumla - CANBERRA
ACT 2600 Australia
ph: +61 2 6273 2372 / 73 / 74; fax: +61 2 6273 2375
Consular Services: consularbrasil@connect.net.au
website: www.brazil.org.au/

If you're country is not listed here:
1.) Visit www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Brazil/ Brazil1.html
2.) Or, type "Embassy of Brazil in [your country's name]" into a search engine like Excite or Google to find a website with contact information.