Thousands of Spanish farmers, many at the helm of their tractors, protested this Wednesday through the central streets of Madrid to express their opposition to the recently signed trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur. According to the Argentine News Agency and the organizers' estimates, about 8,000 farmers and livestock farmers participated in the protest, supported by around 500 tractors. They arrived in the Spanish capital from different parts of the country to demand changes in agricultural policies. Spanish farmers argue that the agreement between the two blocs will open the market to imported products with lower sanitary and environmental standards, which would harm the competitiveness of the local sector. They also criticize the planned cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which would reduce production aid, and the increase in costs, which creates difficulties in ensuring generational renewal in the farms. The protest had been called by the Union of Farmers and Livestock Unions and the National Union of Associations of the Independent Primary Sector (Unaspi). Meanwhile, the tractors and protesters converged on Plaza de Colón after departing from nearby towns such as Torrejón de la Calzada, Robregordo, Arganda del Rey, Guadalajara, and El Espinar (Segovia). From there, they advanced along Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado towards the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
