Video
Victims of the Spanish rapeseed oil scandal threaten suicide
Six people occupied the Prado Museum in Madrid on Tuesday. They are victims of the largest food poisoning scandal in the history of Spain, the so-called rapeseed oil scandal. Denatured rapeseed oil entered the food market in 1981. Thousands of Spaniards consumed the denatured oil. It caused strange symptoms of illness and cost many people their lives. Forty years later, the victims are demonstrating in the Prado and threatening to commit collective suicide. The victims: “You shouldn’t lie to us, it’s a shame for Spain, you should take responsibility and protect us.” “There are some who can barely survive with a pension of 200 or 300 euros. We are sick, we feel physically 20 years older than we are.” “We have gone through several political parties in 40 years, but we are still at the same point as we were at the beginning, so the most urgent thing is that they at least meet with us, so far they have not wanted to.” The poisoning killed 5,000 people and affected another 20,000, most of them with incurable diseases. With their drastic demand they now want to force Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to meet and talk to them.
In 1981 denatured rapeseed oil entered the food market. Over 5,000 people died and over 20,000 were injured.