Despite the intense sun, some 4,500 people stood in line yesterday on the San Francisco promenade to deposit their ballot in the referendum called by the CB Foundation to demand a 21st century train for Extremadura. It was a symbolic gesture, which is why mass participation is even more valuable if possible and shows that the public’s outrage at current rail infrastructure is widespread. Parents with their children, grandparents with their grandchildren, children, youth and adults voted yesterday in this particular consultation with two options: that of Yes to a decent train and that of No to territorial disconnection.
The first ballots had been deposited before ten in the morning and the queues were still five hours later. Some even voted after waiting in another queue, this time to sample one of the more than a kilometer-long portion of the pork-tasting sandwich. About 6,000 rations had been planned, so those that were left over were delivered to soup kitchens, according to the organization. 140 Rucab students collaborated in its preparation and distribution.
“It has been a success. This was necessary, because we must claim and say where appropriate that it is not appropriate to have the train that we have, “said Emilio Jiménez, general director of the CB Foundation, who assured that this party was the” beginning “of a path for citizens” make itself heard ».
It was a festive call, but with a clear claiming vocation. The act, presented by the actor Cándido Gómez, had the participation of sixth-grade schoolchildren from the Las Vaguadas school, who read poems by Extremaduran authors accompanied by Pedro Monty at the piano. They played the murga This is winning, the Candi 2 Band, the comedian Juan y Punto, there was flamenco, magic and the release of balloons. The students of the Reino Aftasí institute were in charge of carrying out a performance that criticized the current situation of the train in Extremadura, in clear agony, and claimed the AVE. One of them, Javier Mendoza, read a manifesto to demand that the claims of Extremadurans be met, so that the region has the same weapons of progress and development as other Spanish communities. “We are no less than anyone, there are no excuses,” he said.
