Via WhatsApp groups, verbally or with the first call of the independent agricultural union Unión de Uniones. Farmers took to the streets in various parts of Spain More flexibility in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with and without tractors, assistance to compensate for economic losses caused by drought and more support from the central administration are demanded. They did this without waiting for the official start signal from the three main agricultural organizations in the country (Asaja, COAG and UPA), which are the only direct interlocutors with the Government. Although the official concentration schedule begins on Thursday, February 8 in Ávila, Salamanca and Ciudad Real, Hundreds of main sector workers close Malaga port, they blocked roads in Castilla y León and entered cities such as Zaragoza, Castellón or Huesca with their tractors. This Tuesday, protests took place in many provinces and cities of Spain. Dozens of communication routes, many of them highways, were blocked, and there were also blockades in some logistics centers such as Malaga, Mercazaragoza or the port of Mercamadrid.
As the day progressed, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) updated the events regarding the outages affecting a wide range of the state highways map, especially the outages at strategic points on the A-1 highways; A-2; A-4; to 5; A-6; A-92; A-42; A-66; A-50; A-62; or A-30, among others. Protesters managed to block access to the ports of Malaga and Mercazaragoza, while a group of farmers from Ávila also tried to do so in Mercamadrid (but a police cordon prevented them)..
There have been no major incidents at present except the occasional arrest of some farmers.. Producers have the support of the Transport Sector Defense Platform, which, as a gesture of solidarity, announced a strike that will start next Saturday, as well as the closure of agricultural enterprises and cooperatives in various parts of the country this Tuesday. Farmer Lola Guzmán, spokesperson of the newly established Platform 6F, assured Efe that the reaction of farmers was “extraordinary” and requested a direct dialogue with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Luis Planas.
In just one day independent demonstrations overflowed Asaja to the convening capacity of COAG and UPA. Unión de Uniones, the architect of the truck that collapsed the center of Madrid at the beginning of July 2023, launched its own mobilization calendar on Tuesday, February 6, in Castilla y León, especially in Burgos, Miranda del Ebro, Briviesca. Medina from Pomar and Aranda del Duero. But apart from these, spontaneous WhatsApp groups have emerged, bringing together farmers from all over the map.
Agricultural employers’ associations do not believe the protests have gotten out of control; instead he believes that “all mobilization actions are appropriate to guarantee the survival of agricultural and livestock farms.” To do so, they are building on their latest success: the European Commission withdrew legislation to halve pesticide use in the face of a resurgence of protests in primary sectors across the European Union. Regarding the call schedule, which exceeds 30 sessions from February 8-27, COAG explains that “some still” need to be added by organizations. They are waiting for permission to demonstrate In most cases this requires two weeks notice. This is the case with the slow march planned for February 12 in Madrid, with around 200 tractors that will travel along regional roads in the south of the capital, or the mobilizations in Asturias and other parts of Spain. This medium tried to bring together Asaja and UPA’s vision but failed.
Unión de Uniones has another vision. “They lost not only control but also prestige“Underlines Secretary General Luis Cortés. His organization was left out even though it brought its demands to the door of the ministry at the meeting held last Friday between Asaja, COAG and UPA with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas. The behavior of the main agricultural organizations that cannot represent the sector before the Government They believe that farmers took to the streets prematurely due to their “rejection” of the form and therefore resorted to social networks to demonstrate.
Currently, mobilizations from social networks are expected every day. Officially and due to the fact that not all mobilizations are known, Asaja, COAG and UPA appeal to farmers to leave between 8 p.m.It will start in Ávila, Salamanca and Ciudad Real, and will start in different provinces of Spain each day, starting on February 27 in Córdoba. On the other hand, Unión de Uniones appealed to the industry in Venta de Pinillas (Segovia) in various parts of Castilla y León between 6 and 16 February of the same month.
Tractors throughout Spain
For one reason or another, the truth is that we were already there last Monday. Some attempted demonstrations in Valladolid and ZamoraHowever, a week ago, a small number of tractors were on the roads in Zamora. Traffic jams occurred in the early hours of Tuesday around Valencia, Logroño and Zamora, Benavente and Valladolid. In Aragon, hundreds of tractors caused significant traffic jams and reached Huesca, Zaragoza and Teruel, and farmers closed the entrances to the port of Málaga, as well as the surroundings of Mercamálaga and the facilities of the Center for Transport of Goods (CTM).
In Murcia, a truck that was not reported to the regional Government delegation blocked the passage of drivers on the highways and secondary roads leading to Murcia. Crisis committee meeting and alarm status decision All municipal services are carried out by the municipal council. Also in Catalonia, hundreds of tractors converged on Fondarella, flooding Lleida’s streets as well as entire towns in the southern districts. Lleida protesters mobilizing more than 100 people 1,500 agricultural vehiclesThey agreed to spend the night on the road with their trailers, plows and sulphators and head for Barcelona first thing this Wednesday morning, where they will gather in front of the Acció Climàtica department.
Amid farmers’ onslaught, the Government has released a list of 139,000 farmers who will receive ₹269 million due to drought. Aid for rain-fed rice and tomato producers, who are most affected by this meteorological event, ranges from 20 to 407 euros per hectare. Government spokeswoman Pilar AlegríaReiterated after the Council of Ministers The central executive’s commitment to the primary sector: “We will always protect them, be with them and support them,” he assured.
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Political reactions
Statements came from leading politicians throughout the day. Government spokeswoman Pilar Alegría said: He reiterated the Administration’s commitment to the primary sector after emphasizing that he was “with” farmers: “We will always protect them, be with them, support them.” Luis Planas, head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, stated that the Government continues its dialogue with agricultural organizations because “this is the only way forward”. Planas called for solutions to be sought “by the European Commission, the Spanish Government and the autonomous communities, eleven of which are led by PP and VOX.” Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that security forces are working to guarantee both the right of farmers to protest against exercise on the roads and the right of all citizens to access basic services.
Some political leaders from autonomous communities also raised their voices. Madrid Community president Isabel Díaz Ayuso (PP) accused the Government of “destroying” the agricultural sector because of the “ideology it has planted”. María Chivite (PSOE), president of the State Government of Navarra, argued that it was necessary to guarantee the free demonstration of a sector whose demands for a part of Navarra were not shared by her. Given the magnitude of farmer protests in Spain and across Europe, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would withdraw a proposed new law on the sustainable use of phytosanitary products.