Power cuts and closed parking lots: The struggle of Barcelona's Torre Baró continues

The new movie 'El 47', directed by Catalan film director Marcel Barrena, tells the story of the social struggle in the neighborhood of Torre Baró, in Barcelona, and how this area, located in the hills of the city, finally got a bus line. 

The story in the film is set in the 1970s, and since then, much effort has gone into improving the neighborhood of Torre Baró, which began with some shantytowns. 

However, residents of the neighborhood feel that some things "haven't changed much" since the events depicted in the film, as the Torre Baró Neighbors Association still has to protest over certain basic needs that they consider to be "the minimum for a neighborhood."

Their latest demands to the city council concern electricity and the power outages the area has been suffering. 

Street lights frequently go out in the neighborhood due to cable thefts: "Thieves take advantage of the fact that there are no nearby houses affected, and they steal the street light cables. We’ve been asking the city council to bury the cables underground for years because the cables keep getting stolen after they’re replaced," José Antonio Martínez, a resident of Torre Baró, told Catalan News. 

José Manuel Romero, who has lived in Torre Baró for many years, doesn’t understand why the city council and the electric company Endesa refuse to invest in this: "It’s a waste of money. But because Endesa has an insurance policy that covers it, they don’t care. And all we can do is complain because we’re left without light," José Manuel argues. 

There was also a period when power outages affected many houses and disrupted the lives of the residents. 

José Antonio explains that between 2020 and 2021, frequent outages were caused by a malfunctioning power transformer. This caused major problems for people who needed a reliable electricity supply, such as José Antonio’s mother, who required an oxygen machine that had to be plugged in at all times. 

"But it wasn’t just my mother. Other neighbors who used electric beds that helped them were also affected by this. Without basic maintenance, people who depended on electricity were left without essential services their lives depended on," José Antonio emphasizes. 

After many complaints to the city council, the power transformer was eventually replaced. But the problems in Torre Baró do not end there. 

For 10 years, a two-story parking garage near the health center has remained closed. Residents continue to demand its opening and for the city council to manage its operations. 

"People visiting the health center would use it a lot, as would those taking the train from here. Right now, people have to park on the sidewalk," José Antonio Martínez points out. 

Despite the ongoing protests and activism in Torre Baró, José Antonio believes that "in the 1990s, the city council created more bureaucracy, which has resulted in less direct action from residents." 

José Manuel also thinks part of the problem is that fewer people are getting involved: "It’s always the same group that comes together to demonstrate and organize actions." 

"We need everyone to get fully involved and fight like we did in the past," José Manuel concludes.