Letter to the Editor: It Might Not Just Be About Greyhounds and Calves

Original article: Carta al director: Quizás no se trata solo de los perros galgos y los terneros

Dear Editor,

On August 18th, the Chamber of Deputies will vote on the fate of greyhound racing in Chile: to regulate it or to prohibit it entirely. It is deeply unsettling that, in 2026, we are still having this discussion.

A greyhound race seems to concern animals, but it reveals more about us: someone builds the track, sets the lure, establishes the rules, and makes others run to satisfy their desires. The same applies to rodeos. The calf did not choose to participate in any tradition. It was simply placed center stage for others to enjoy the spectacle, much like Minister Ducó.

There is a common thread in both scenarios: those who enjoy do not bear the burden. Perhaps this is one of the significant privileges held by the powerful in this country: they rarely put themselves on the line.

Because we also know that track: we are made to compete for education, housing, jobs, security, and opportunities. We are taught to see those running alongside us as rivals and to think that if someone falls behind, it is simply because they did not run hard enough. Laborer against laborer. Poor against poor. Migrant against Chilean. Neighbor against neighbor.

While we fight amongst ourselves, we do not ask who built the track.

Thus, the greyhounds could very well represent us. We chase after lures set by others, under rules written by others, paying with our own bodies for the consequences. Hopefully, through their pathological egotism, they might find the capacity to empathize.

The greyhound bears the burden. The calf bears the burden. We bear the burden. Educators and support staff bear the burden. Those who decide the rules watch from afar with grace.

Perhaps, this August 18th, we should not only ask what kind of country allows greyhound racing in 2026. We should ask a much more uncomfortable question: Why are we always the ones who have to run, rather than those who should ensure our well-being?

Trinidad López Marambio
Philosophy Degree and Professor
Certified in Neurosciences and Master’s in Philosophy
University of Chile