Ernesto Izquierdo de Frutos, a 22-year-old farmer, had his cell phone vibrate two weeks ago. It was a message with a link that led him to an unknown WhatsApp group. He entered it and saw that there was talk of the possibility of a demonstration to exploit the anger of the French rural population that spilled onto the streets of that country in mid-January. When the group set a date for their town, Vivar de Fuentidueña, a town of 32 people in Segovia, they didn't hesitate to go. His father, he explains, has been manifesting throughout his life. Now it was his turn to do it.
Like him, thousands of farmers have taken to the streets, organized outside professional agricultural groups and following the instructions of WhatsApp and Telegram groups that now have more than 3,000 members. A Telegram channel titled “Spanish Livestock and Agriculture” has seen hundreds of messages from farmers across Spain since the first closures on Spanish roads were reported early Tuesday. Some users asked if there would be a support meeting in their autonomous community, and others indicated where they could go with the tractors. In the chat of the Community of Madrid, in this Telegram channel, one could read: “First destination, take the M-40 from the first hour of the morning.” You are free to go out whenever you want. The more together, the better, the more unstoppable.”
However, not all of the news was intended for the organization of new tractor units. Hundreds of videos and images came from all over Spain. Sometimes with contradictory messages. “With three tractors we managed to close Valencia,” shared a farmer, who attached a video showing the rolling machines crossing a road. Minutes later, a user replied: “The thing about the siege of Valencia is a lie, I just entered the city without any problems.”
Another common element in the groups on this platform were videos in which Lola Guzmán appeared, described by several farmers as the leader of several calls. Guzmán leads the newly formed 6F platform, which contradicts the 2030 Agenda, which sets the EU's sustainable development goals. Vox was also against this plan, proposing to “end this damn 2030 agency that is suffocating us.” The Platform for the Defense of Transport, which blocked the transport of goods in spring 2022, has also pledged its support to farmers and announced protests for this weekend.
Protests across Spain
The protest is escalating not only on the streets, but also in Telegram and WhatsApp groups. One of its members, Izquierdo de Frutos, tells this newspaper that he joined the ranks of tractors that rolled into Valladolid this Tuesday with the intention of closing the city's main wholesale market, Mercaolid. “We will stay here until they feel the lack of fresh produce,” says this farmer, who has been driving a tractor since he was 13 and says he has stocked up with enough resources to survive as long as necessary.
You could also read blunt messages in the chats. “We will paralyze Madrid with transport, and we will paralyze the economy through the ports where the goods arrive.” The demonstrations managed this Tuesday to keep access to the port of Malaga blocked and they tried unsuccessfully also to take the port of Algeciras. “Don’t send links to WhatsApp groups, they will report them and remove them immediately,” warned a Telegram chat user. “We are safer here.”
Photo of the concentration of tractors on the occasion of the rural protests this Tuesday in Zafra (Badajoz). Ana Picon (EFE)
Threats warning of a possible blockade of Madrid were the most heard throughout the day. “Our intention is to take over the institutions, but not in a violent way,” shared Xaime Da Pena, legal manager of the 6F platform, who explained in one of these chats that the group wants to exist until the sector is “owned” become. ” “On Saturday, transport and fishing forces will be mobilized to paralyze the city,” he assured.
Several farmers from this group also expressed their dissatisfaction with the agricultural organizations (Asaja, COAG and UPA), which have also announced demonstrations from Thursday. They claim that these groups lack the will to protest on behalf of rural areas. “We are a group of courageous people who have come to dismantle these agricultural unions that live off the membership of farmers and ranchers and do nothing.” The first demonstrations by these three organizations are scheduled for Thursday in Avila, Salamanca, Ciudad Real and Huesca . Those of the Unión de Uniones, another organization, are scheduled for this Wednesday in León and Castellón.
The demands of the chats go beyond the petitions against European agricultural policy and defended that their protest was not motivated by political interests. “We are neither from the right nor from the left, we are the ones from below,” it says on Telegram. Meanwhile, other messages warned: “We will return to Ferraz.”
Follow all information Business And Business on Facebook and Xor in our weekly newsletter
The five-day agenda
The most important business quotes of the day, with the keys and context to understand their significance.
RECEIVE IT IN YOUR EMAIL
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
_