Protests by farmers continued for a fourth day in a row this Friday, marked by widespread traffic closures on highways and major routes and by demonstrations concentrated in the centers of several provincial capitals. The movement is expected to resume its march toward Madrid this Saturday.
Farmers maintain their slogans against the green policies imposed by the European Union, call for fairer trade agreements, and demand measures to support crisis situations such as droughts. Their actions reflect a push for policy changes that directly affect the agricultural sector and rural communities.
The call from Platform 6F is part of a coordinated effort by professional agricultural organizations to advance their position. Organizers announced that gatherings near the Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid would begin at midnight on Saturday, signaling a sustained mobilization aimed at pressing for reforms.
Meanwhile, associations such as Asaja, COAG and UPA organized protests on Friday in Zamora, Bilbao and Badajoz, extending the activities from Thursday across Ciudad Real, Huesca, Ávila and Salamanca, in a show of regional solidarity and ongoing campaign momentum.
The Minister of Participation, Social Security and Immigration, Apple Saiz, had urged agricultural groups to address the rural labor issue the following Tuesday, but the invitation was rejected due to calendar conflicts and calls from Asaja, COAG and UPA for new dates to be proposed. The dialogue remains unsettled as the dispute broadens beyond regional lines.
Highways and roads were closed
Protests spread across numerous cities this Friday, from Bilbao and Burgos to Malaga, passing through León, Jaén, Logroño, Zamora and Seville, underscoring the nationwide nature of the demonstrations and the breadth of disruption.
The most noticeable impact came from traffic delays and road closures across several highways within multiple autonomous communities, affecting daily commutes and freight movements alike.
In Castile-La Mancha, tractors reached central Toledo and Ciudad Real, blocking sections of the A-3 Madrid-Valencia and causing disruptions on AP-36 heading toward Ocaña and La Roda. Other notable interruptions occurred on roads such as the N-301 through Corral de Almaguer and the N-430 near Villarrobledo in Albacete, reflecting a persistent strategy of occupy-and-pressure.
In La Rioja, around 700 tractors caused sporadic disruptions on the N-232 through Briones and Aldeanueva de Ebro, on the N-124 at Briñas, on the N-113 near Valverde, and on the N-111 around Villanueva de Cameros, with occasional road blockages affecting major routes like the A-66, N-630 and A231 as well.
In Bilbao, hundreds of tractors gathered in the city center, triggering delays on routes such as the N-634 and BI-711 as a visible show of strength and intent to keep pressure on authorities and institutions. Protest actions also reached Aragon, where tractors clogged access to Zaragoza via the N-330 and A-68 by the A-23 corridor, with several roads in the province closed to ensure the movement’s visibility and impact.
Andalusia saw the Seville center besieged by tractor drivers who joined a slow march toward the Plaza de España, while Jaén witnesses gathered citizens in front of the Government Subcommittee, demanding a fast response to the agricultural sector’s concerns. Roadways including the A-92 near Seville and Malaga, the A-367 near Cañete la Real, and the A-7278 near Teba were affected. A large convoy blocked the A-4 near the border of Córdoba and Seville, restricting access toward Madrid and Seville.
In Asturias, protests eased as farmers and agricultural workers canceled demonstrations in Oviedo, with negotiators from the regional government engaging in talks after several hours of discussions and tentative progress toward a settlement acceptable to most stakeholders.
Since Tuesday, security forces have detained around 20 individuals amid the protests and identified nearly 7,925 people for possible administrative sanctions, highlighting the scale and seriousness with which authorities are treating the demonstrations.
One person charged in Logroño vehicular incident
Among the day’s notable events, a demonstration in Logroño saw about thirty farmers presenting support for a colleague arrested during the regional mobilization. The Prosecutor’s Office has charged the individual with a vehicle attack and injuries related to the incident.
For Saturday and in anticipation of the Platform 6F call to disrupt traffic and block access to Madrid from midnight onward, the Government Delegation has put in place a security operation with more than five hundred officers from the National Police’s Intervention Unit, known for rapid intervention and crowd control capabilities.
Internal Affairs strengthens police apparatus to prevent unauthorized entry of tractors into Madrid
It is anticipated that the National Platform for the Defense of the Transport Sector will join the strike, bringing together thousands of self-employed road hauliers and small- and medium-sized enterprises. In March 2022, a similar twenty-day action demonstrated the ability of the sector to impact the nation’s distribution network and logistics channel, reinforcing the strategic importance of the current mobilization.