Dana flood hero David Lafoz found dead

David Lafoz (27), a prominent activist and farmer from Belchite Zaragoza was found dead July 9, after posting a heartbreaking post on Instagram.

Known nationally for his volunteer work after the Dana floods and for leading farmer protests across Aragón, Lafoz’s death has sparked widespread grief and raised urgent questions about mental health and institutional pressure in Spain’s farming sector.

I can’t live with working 18 hours per day.

In his final post on Instagram, Lafoz included a photo of a noose.

I’m sorry to say goodbye so cowardly, but I just can’t take any more pressure. I can’t handle arguing every day with people, I cannot tolerate any more inspections by the Treasury Department or Labour Department. I also can’t bear working 18-hour days and not making a living.

The body was discovered early on Wednesday morning, 9 July, in the farmland of his hometown. Guardia Civil are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

David Lafoz – An activist farmer, community hero

Lafoz is widely regarded as one of Spain’s faces of rural protests. This was especially true for the demonstrations of March 2024 in Zaragoza, and the demonstrations outside the Ministry of Agriculture. At the age of 17, he was fully committed to farming. He was severely injured in a serious car accident that put him in a state of coma for several weeks. Nevertheless, he worked tirelessly on the farm and founded the Aragón es Ganadería y Agricultura (AEGA) association.

AEGA member Rubén Blasco told El Español:

“He was an enthusiastic person, very strong and committed… maybe a person with his ethics and principles didn’t fit in well with today’s society, where anything goes.”

Lafoz became a national celebrity in October 2024 when he volunteered in Catarroja with more than 30 Aragonese Farmers just days after Dana Floods. He cleared debris with his tractor, saying:

This is important, especially when there are people who are dying from hunger and thirst.El Español).

Lorena Sivent, the mayor of Catarroja paid tribute to his memory on social media.

“He gave us a helping hand when we were in need, leading the Aragonese volunteers that came to assist us after Dana.”

Lafoz’s passing has shook Spain’s farming communities, with hundreds of people posting tributes on Facebook. AEGA posted a Facebook post:

“From AEGA, we wish to express our deepest condolences at the loss of David Lafoz. David was a founding member and member of AEGA.

In these trying times, we offer our love and support to all of our family members and friends.

David is a man who has shown his commitment to the agricultural industry and to citizens in general. He demonstrated this through actions such as the siege at Aljaferia, Dana de Valencia and the floods in the Belchite Region.

You are always the first person to arrive.

RIP.”

When is it time to discuss mental health in Agriculture?

Lafoz’s suicide isn’t an isolated incident. Spanish farmers are at the brink of suicide due to years of drought and low profits. As El Español Notes, “there is certainly a personal circumstance behind each one.”

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