Guzman speaks up for monkeys in Guayama

ST. JUAN, Puerto Rico, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Film and television actor Luis Guzman is calling on Puerto Rican Gov. Luis Fortuno to block a proposed primate-breeding farm in Guayama.

Guzman penned a letter to be sent to Fortuno this week, voicing his concerns about the ecological, humane and economic consequences if the project moves forward, said the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington.

"I consider Puerto Rico my second home, and I own property and spend a great deal of time on the island. I was born in Cayey, which is, as you know, about a 30-minute drive north of Guayama, so this feels rather personal to me," Guzman wrote in the letter. "Like the Guayama City Council, which has expressed strong opposition to the monkey farm, I'm worried about the potential environmental and economic consequences of this project."

The committee said a primate supply company in Maritius plans to take long-tailed macaques from the forests there, breed them in Puerto Rico and sell the offspring for use in product-testing and experiments.

Guzman's movie credits include "Boogie Nights," "Traffic" and "The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3." He also was a longtime cast member of the HBO prison drama, "Oz."