Juan Fernando Marrero was on a hunger strike for 54 days

A businessman undresses before the Yaiza Town Hall to claim payment of several debts

The businessman from Gran Canaria, Juan Fernando Marrero, undressed this Thursday morning in front of the Yaiza Town Hall, claiming payments owed to him by this corporation, as well as the Arrecife Town Hall, ...

April 8 2010 (20:04 WEST)
A businessman strips naked in front of the Yaiza Town Hall to demand payment of several debts
A businessman strips naked in front of the Yaiza Town Hall to demand payment of several debts

The businessman from Gran Canaria, Juan Fernando Marrero, undressed this Thursday morning in front of the Yaiza Town Hall, claiming payments owed to him by this corporation, as well as the Arrecife Town Hall, whose figure amounts to around 11,000 euros, between the two institutions.

Juan Fernando Marrero began a hunger strike on February 8 that lasted 54 days, "with fainting, exhaustion and falls", he relates, in order for the Canary Islands institutions, which are more apart from those of Lanzarote, to pay him what they owe him, since "the problem is that the Social Security wants to seize my assets when others owe me".

On this occasion he has moved to Lanzarote to claim these payments from the island's institutions, for which he has undressed before the Yaiza Town Hall, where they have kicked him out "like a little dog", he says. "They don't refuse to pay me. They only tell me that they don't have a penny, that they haven't even received their payroll and that they will pay me in two or three months. I told him that I understand that the staff has to be paid, but they are going to seize my assets".

However, from the Arrecife City Council he assures that they have promised to pay him in the next few days, so "I am going to believe in his word", he says.

Against the Spanish Government

The businessman, to whom the Canary Islands institutions, according to him, owe around 60,000 euros, has also shown his indignation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs himself, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, in relation to the cases of Aminatu Haidar, "to whom the Spanish Government put a plane and I give her hospitalization", and of the Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas, who after being on hunger strike, "has been given a mechanized plane to come and take care of him in Spain".

"I think it's great that they give money abroad but, what about the Spanish? Those of us who pay our taxes are humiliated and seized", he asks.

Juan Fernando Marrero declares that he will continue in his battle, since "I am also fighting for the rest of the companies, because like me there are hundreds of people in Spain". "I possibly laid the first stone, but we must continue", he concludes.

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