Spain: 20,000 rally in defense of public healthcare
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A collapsing public healthcare sector in Spain is driving protestors to the streets.
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From protests against high prices in Spain, in March 2022. (Reuters)
At least 200,000 protesters rallied in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday defending the region's primary healthcare, warning that any plans to overthrow the welfare system would "destroy" local healthcare.
Carrying the slogan "Madrid rallies in support of public healthcare and against the plan to destroy primary care services", thousands marched through four points in the capital, marching to City Hall. A regional government spokesperson estimated that 200,000 demonstrators marched through Madrid.
Impresionante...¡SANIDAD PÚBLICA!! #MadridSeLevantaEl13 pic.twitter.com/FXSUljRdW7
— Pepo Jiménez (@kurioso) November 13, 2022
Spanish primary care services have been enduring much pressure due to staff and resource shortages, with a worsening situation exacerbated by poor regional management.
In September, thousands of demonstrators marched across Spain in protest of the increasing cost of living, namely food and fuel, which have been worsened after the draconian West-led sanctions on Russia following the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
The protests were called for by the Spanish far-right Vox party, which aimed to get their head around the growing dissatisfaction regarding the significantly-increasing cost of living in the European country, where many families have been struggling to pay their bills.
Thousands gathered in Madrid just outside the City Hall, calling the current Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to resign.
"Sanchez, you're rubbish, bring down our bills!" the protesters shouted, along with, "Long live Spain!"
"We have the worst possible government... It's not even a government, it's a misery factory... which plunders and extorts workers through abusive taxes," said Santiago Abascal, Vox's leader. "We will not leave the streets until this illegitimate government is expelled."
