Residents of Pustunich, a village in the municipality of Ticul, Yucatán, have been accused and reported for a practice considered animal cruelty: placing live iguanas inside clay pots or jars and then hitting them, similar to a piñata.
This practice sparked widespread outrage on social media and in the news in May 2026, reigniting the debate about the boundaries between local traditions and animal abuse.
Details of the practice in Pustunich:
Context: It takes place during the Day of the Holy Cross festivities (May 3), in an activity known locally as “Pa’ p’úul” (breaking pots).
Actions: According to reports and audiovisual material, the iguanas (sometimes referred to as “toloks”) are placed inside the pots, which are then hung and broken.
Cruelty and Ignorance: Iguanas that survive the fall after the vase breaks are sometimes stepped on or kicked by onlookers.
Investigation: The dissemination of the videos has led environmentalists and citizens to demand the intervention of the relevant authorities, such as the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Yucatán (FGE) and PROFEPA (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection), to investigate and punish these acts.
Animal rights advocates have classified this type of act as barbaric and cruel, placing the community of Pustunich at the center of controversy in 2026.
🇲🇽Ojos en Yucatán 🚨👇🏻
— 🎙️ ᗰᖇ. ᑕíᐯIᑕO ®🇲🇽₿ ✖️ (@Mr_Civico) May 6, 2026
Nuevamente estas indignantes imágenes😤
Habitantes de Pustunich son responsables de realizar una práctica en la que iguanas vivas son introducidas en jarrones y golpeadas como si fueran piñatas.
🫰🏻 @YoAmoaLaCiencia@azucenaupic.twitter.com/l0OiWilo36
Source: tvaztecachiapas
