Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Andalucia to protest against the state of the public health system.

The largest marches, led by the Marea Blanca movement, were held in Sevilla and Granada, where turnout figures ranged from 5,000 according to police to as many as 55,000 claimed by organisers.

The protests have zeroed in on what opponents see as the Achilles’ heel of Junta president Juanma Moreno: the handling of Andalucia’s public health system.

Demonstrators gathered outside San Telmo in Sevilla – the seat of the regional government – chanting slogans such as ‘Moreno Bonilla privatiza de maravilla’ and ‘Nuestra salud no es vuestra mercancia’.

Many pointed to long waiting lists, strained primary care services and a shortage of doctors in rural areas.

Others highlighted recent failures in breast cancer screening programmes, with affected groups carrying banners bearing the names of women impacted.

One chant summed up the anger: ‘If you don’t have money, you’re on your way to the grave.’

Left-wing leaders join protests

Key figures from across the left joined the demonstrations, turning the protests into a clear political show of force ahead of the May 17 elections.

The PSOE’s Maria Jesus Montero, who drew the largest crowds, warned that ‘on May 17, we are playing for our lives’, accusing the regional government of putting ‘economic profitability’ ahead of patient care.

Demonstrations were held in all eight provincial capitals. After Sevilla and Granada, Malaga saw around 3,800 attendees, while Cadiz and Cordoba each drew roughly 2,000.

Smaller protests took place in Huelva (1,500), Jaen (1,400) and Almeria (1,000), bringing the total turnout to more than 21,000 people according to official estimates.

In Granada province, an additional protest in Motril gathered around 600 participants.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.