Farmers blocked the center of Madrid to protest against the Mercosur deal

Several thousand farmers with about 500 tractors marched through the center of Madrid on Wednesday to protest against the European Union's trade agreement with Mercosur countries and the lack of aid for the national agricultural sector.

According to government data, 2.5 thousand people took part in the demonstrations. people; the organizers provide three times that number. The protest arrived in the afternoon in front of the Ministry of Agriculture building, near the Atocha train station.

Madrid authorities announced that the demonstrations closed approximately 50 streets in the city center, including the representative Paseo del Prado avenue.

Farmers opposed the agreement signed on January 17 this year. in Asuncion, the EU trade agreement with Mercosur, as well as the EU common agricultural policy for 2028-2034.

– We came here to express our opposition because what they are doing to us is completely unfair – said Chema, one of the farmers from Catalonia, quoted by the 20minutos portal.

The government in Madrid believes that Spanish companies will benefit from the agreement with Mercosur. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, speaking in parliament on Wednesday, recalled that the European Commission has provided security and compensation mechanisms for farmers.

The trade agreement with Mercosur will introduce tariff preferences for exporters of products such as beef, poultry, dairy products, sugar and ethanol from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. In turn, the markets of these countries will open to European industry.

Spanish media emphasize that What awaited it was the Spanish sector responsible for the production of olive oil and wine, for which the agreement is intended to mitigate the damage caused by American tariffs. Sectors such as the automotive industry and the pharmaceutical and chemical industries are also expected to benefit.

However, as the media add, the agreement poses a threat, among others: for the Spanish meat industry, especially beef producers.

From Madrid Marcin Furdyna (PAP)

mrf/ mal/