The Fight for Coffee

Is not too late to say that I was on the team that fought the battle for the freedom of coffee in my country.

Those were my college years, I led a student life within the margins of the duties of a good citizen, but in me, there was always that rebellious spark, I always sought to join movements to help, order and vindicate, that was how I came to the team of the so-called protective tide of just causes.

It was 2006, the president had lost a consultative referendum to have the freedom to make decisions about the destiny of the nation without the intervention of the parliament, the people demonstrated, they did not believe that proposal was correct.

What followed were very dark days, there were persecutions, deprivations of liberty outside the law, absurd measures to violate human rights, all in retaliation for not obtaining absolute power to control the country, some politicians forget that they rise to power by popular vote. With so many outrages, the most bitter dictatorship was being drawn.

Difficult times were coming, imports were affected, the official version said it was an economic blockade, the media were threatened and censored, so we only listened to conjectures of the leaders, logical and also demagogic.

An official announcement, made by the President of the Republic himself on national radio and television; many deprivations with brief and dubious arguments, among them, the most abusive and exaggerated, the straw that broke the camel's back, the prohibition of coffee, the reason for the decision, the main supplier was catalogued as a traitor to the nation, according to the calculating President, the processing formula was being adulterated on purpose to affect the human organism, to induce depression and hostility.

The international media echoed the news, it was the main topic of discussion, front pages, cartoons, parodies, first trend on twitter.

The first to demonstrate in the streets of the capital were elderly women, shouting slogans: "Coward, don't mess with my coffee!"

The strategists against the cause came to a common conclusion; this decision hid the government's true intentions, but what were they? Why do this and become the laughing stock of the world?

Can you imagine a world without coffee? Important component in analgesic medicine, natural treatment against anxiety, powerful antioxidant, oxygen for the brain, fighter of coronary difficulties, a faithful friend of integral health, science certifies it, if it does so much for us, we have to do something to guarantee its permanence in our country.

We took the courage to take the protest to another level, it was not only for the consumption, it was the economy of the sector, the entrepreneurs, small and medium businessmen, families that by family tradition were dedicated to the sowing and production of artisan coffee, at the moment they were unable to continue with their work, a hard blow to their stability.

It was difficult, but the sacrifice was worth it, more than 45 days on strike, a firm purpose, we would not stop until we achieved the revocation of the measure, moments of fainting for our fighters, fatigue, hunger, sunstroke, weakness in the knees. On the part of the government leaders, haughtiness, in the first days they ignored our voices and we even received mockery from the most cynical, despotic.

Life and time will give reason to those who are right, there is no worse fight than the one that is not fought, present in each heartbeat of each one of the warriors of good, the conviction that in unity there is strength, and once again, in history, we were an example of this.

The international organizations intervened, and we received the good news, the president was not able to show his face, the decree of the retraction was published in the newspaper with the largest circulation in the country. A battle won by the people.

Thanks to the coffee, we discovered the power of the true giant, the fighting mass, now aware of what could be achieved, an era of listening to the powerful voice of those who always kept silent out of fear would come.

Great achievements were made from the new scenario, one of them, in primary education, the plan "learn to sow", children would be trained in gardening to plant in the backyards of their homes coffee and much more, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants. A breakthrough for human self-sufficiency.

Each cup of coffee, every morning, is the perfect reminder that we were pioneers in the worldwide struggle for the protection of coffee.

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This is my participation for Spill The Beans Contest.
I invite @paolazun to participate.