Imagine this: the heart of Madrid, usually bustling with city life, suddenly filled with the rumble of hundreds of tractors. That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday as thousands of Spanish farmers and ranchers took to the streets, not for a parade, but for a powerful protest.
Their message was loud and clear: they’re fed up with current European Union policies, specifically the looming cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the controversial trade agreement with Mercosur. These aren’t just bureaucratic terms; for farmers, they represent a direct threat to their livelihoods.
Organized by groups like Unión de Uniones and Unaspi, this massive demonstration saw anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000 people and hundreds of tractors converge on iconic spots like Plaza de Colón. From there, they marched towards the Agriculture Ministry, with banners waving defiant slogans like “No to Mercosur” and warnings that new policies would “undermine farm viability.”
Farm leaders, including Luis Cortés and Miguel Ángel Aguilera, didn’t mince words. They argued that the Mercosur deal isn’t beneficial for them and that current European policies are quite literally “ruining” their agricultural sector. Their fear? That tighter budgets and increased trade liberalization will squeeze their profits, accelerating farm closures across the country.
This wasn’t just a one-off protest. The message from the fields is stark: political leaders need to revise these policies, or the tractors could very well be back. It’s a powerful reminder that behind our food supply are real people fighting for a sustainable future against overwhelming odds.
