The killer bull who's pulling in the crowds

"I'm really sorry about what happened in Xàtiva, but I don't think it's reason enough for Sueca to go without seeing its most famous bull." Those were the words of the mayor of Sueca, Salvador Campillo, on Wednesday, to explain why Ratón, a bull that claimed its second fatal victim in 10 years last weekend, should appear on the bill of the town's fiestas in September.

"The rancher and the council want the bull to appear here because he was born in this town, yet we've never seen him," Campillo said. He went on to explain that Ratón - whose name means "mouse" in Spanish - would not be running through the streets of the town, but instead would appear in a kind of "portable bull ring," where "sufficient security would be in place to ensure that no one can get in if they are in an inappropriate condition." In other words, if they are drunk.

The legend of Ratón, who is 10 years old and weighs 500 kilos, began with another death: that of a 54-year-old man who was gored by the bull at the Sagunto fiestas in 2006.

Last Saturday, during the taurine fiestas in Fira d'Agost in Xàtiva, a 29-year-old man, who had been drinking before getting in the ring, was gored to death by the bull.

The mayor of Sueca argues that the decision to keep the bull on the bill is "unanimous," but some of the town's residents beg to differ.

"Yes, it's a great bull, but he should have been withdrawn years ago, because he's a killer, and these are supposed to be fiestas," local resident José Luis Giménez told Efe.

Those who support the council's decision, however, lay the responsibility squarely with "those who choose to enter the ring, who should know what they are doing."

But all of the residents agree on one thing: Ratón will attract more people to the fiestas.