On Monday, the Valencian agricultural associations presented a calendar of mobilizations that starts today, but on the same day, late in the afternoon, many messages began to circulate on social networks encouraging them to go ahead and take to the streets a day earlier. These were protests that were not properly communicated to the Government Delegation, although they arrived slowly. Only one, under the motto “6F United Farmers” called the sector in order and form in the San Isidro neighborhood of València, next to the CV-36 that connects the capital with Horta Sud, although at the time of the call This newspaper was able to verify the little success of the appointment.
Yesterday’s gestures took place in several cities. The demonstrations had been encouraged days ago through instant messaging and many farmers, even associated with entities calling for the strikes that started today, followed the protests in the Valencian Community, which generated cuts in the northern ring road of València, in the N -340 at Vila-real or on the A-3 at Chiva.
The CV-50 at L’Alcúdia and Alzira was also closed from the A-7, and there was slow traffic on the A-35 with traffic jams next to Moixent. Sources of complete solvency explain that it was Vox sympathizers who encouraged yesterday’s protests and that they even offered the farmers their legal services “in case something happened.” However, the far-right party yesterday issued a national statement to support the “just demands of the rural world” and noted that it “governs to guarantee its future.”
He was thus referring to the regions in which it has powers in agricultural matters, as is the case of the Valencian Community. Here the councilor of the branch, José Luis Aguirre, declared that the party he represents has “nothing to do” with the farmers’ mobilizations yesterday, Tuesday, but said that “they share their concerns.” He added that he did not know if the mobilizations were “requested in order or not”, but “he had heard that they were going to be held. It was something public, they are calls by WhatsApp,” he said.
When the two main Valencian associations were asked about yesterday’s event, both distanced themselves from the protests without sparing a certain critical tone towards the organizers. The Unió Llauradora i Ramadera, which today will be at the access facilities to Port Castelló to denounce “the unfair competition that occurs with imports from third countries”, assured this newspaper yesterday that “it makes no sense to break the unity of action as some intend,” said Carles Peris, secretary general. Peris knew of associates of the entities that participated in the protests, but he regretted that “when they realize who is behind this, which is the extreme right, many will not be “so happy.”
“We think that our job is to be 365 days a day defending the interests of ranchers and farmers, to defend the interests from agricultural associations, to unify efforts in majority agricultural cooperatives, such as AVA and La Unió, but I think they only intend to do their campaign of the bad campaign and bad situation of the Valencian ranchers and farmers. It is not the way to act,” he states emphatically.
For his part, Cristóbal Aguado, president of AVA-ASAJA, stated that “these actions weaken us.” Aguado defends that “it is not a one-day thing as some mistakenly think. We must work like we agricultural associations do to avoid this silent war against agriculture that is the CAP,” he adds. Aguado, traveling to participate in the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin, celebrated yesterday that the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, announced that she will propose to the college of commissioners the withdrawal of the Regulation on the sustainable use of phytosanitary products.
“Von der Leyen is beginning to fulfill the promises she made last Thursday to ASAJA. For us this regulation was an ideological barbarity without a scientific basis, a political slogan aimed at radical environmentalism, which placed an arbitrary percentage of reduction of phytosanitary products. Why 50% and not 80%, 30% or 0%? We farmers are the first to want to use less phytosanitary products, because they cost us money and effort, but if an active substance is taken away from us, the Administration must provide us with effective alternatives contrasted,” says Aguado.
After today’s protest in Castelló de la Plana, called by La Unió, – which will start from Betxí, La Pelejana and Cabanes until converging at the access to Port Castelló – the unitary calendar of “Valencian-style” protests will begin, which brings together to all agricultural organizations and cooperatives. They will be on the roads of Alicante on February 12, in the port of Castellón again on February 15 and in the port of València on February 22. Along the way, they hope to meet both the president of the Generalitat Valenciana and the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, as well as the political parties, to present their broad demands.
