Twenty-two farmers, of more than two hundred, who participated in the roadblock near the Portugal/Spain border, from Vila Verde de Ficalho/Rosal de la Frontera, were notified and heard by GNR and PSP and constituted defendants, the type of crime they incur has not been specified.
Notifications were sent to tractor owners who, between the early hours of 1 a 3 February were protesting on the National Road (IN) 260, and were summoned to appear before the authorities to make statements, having been constituted defendants in the act.
The statements were sent to the Public Ministry to instruct the process, with the possibility of “men of the land” being accused of the crimes of obstructing the road network and disobedience, despite them maintaining that “everything was done safely and priority vehicles were allowed to pass. Everything was done in agreement between the protesters and the GNR. We weren't, We’re not even criminals.”, Lidador told the News (LN) AntĂłnio JoĂŁo VerĂssimo, of the Civic Movement of Farmers of Baixo Alentejo (FLAT).
The MCABA spokesperson recalled that “we continue to fight alone. With the exception of Rui Garridos, President of ACOS-Farmers of the South, no other association was by our side. We fought for our rights and we will fight against this injustice that they want to do to us”, summed up.
“I was called to the GNR post, and confronted by authorities with a photograph of my tractor, in which I took over the property and became a defendant. I would like to know where this idea came from., because it was only in the district of Beja that we were identified. Who was the enlightened mind? ?", justified LuĂs Pola, farmer in Cuba.
Francisco Verissimo, farmer based in Moura, displayed the defendant's constitution, after making statements from the PSP Police Station in that city on the “Left Bank” of the Guadiana River.
The protest in Vila Verde de Ficalho was like many others that took place across the country and was one of the last to be raised, after the then Minister of Agriculture, Maria do CĂ©u Antunes, having announced an aid package for the sector and having, at night 7 Feb., gathered, Moura, with farmers.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
