It took nine years, a decree-law, and a final sentence of 45 years in prison for the Government of Catalonia to agree to compensate the families of the two rural agents murdered in cold blood by a hunter in Aspa in 2017 with 617,473 euros. The amount, approved by the Catalan government, does not bring Xevi and David back—the two public servants who were doing their duty on that fateful day—but it at least acknowledges what should have always been obvious: that the administration which employed them bore a liability it had refused to assume for nearly a decade. The question every citizen of Lleida must ask is: why did it take a decree-law for justice to be served to those who risk their lives protecting our natural heritage?
The crime that shook Les Garrigues
On July 18, 2017, rural agents Xevi and David were carrying out surveillance work on a farm in the municipality of Aspa, in the Les Garrigues region, when they crossed paths with Ismael Rodríguez, a poacher who, according to the final sentence, shot “surely and precisely,” hitting vital areas of both officials. The double murder sent deep shockwaves through the entire province of Lleida, where the figure of the rural agent has always been held in special regard for their work in fire prevention and environmental protection.
The trial, held at the Lleida Court, concluded with a sentence of 45 years in prison for Ismael Rodríguez—a punishment reflecting the severity of events that the ruling itself described as “especially serious” due to the treachery and the victims’ defenselessness. But while the murderer was sent to prison, the agents’ families began an administrative ordeal that would last nearly a decade.
The wall of the Government of Catalonia
Over these nine years, the Government of Catalonia, successively led by different pro-independence parties, systematically refused to acknowledge its liability in the case. The agents’ families, represented by lawyer Pau Simarro, sought what they considered fair compensation, only to face an administration that blocked any progress, arguing that responsibility lay solely with the convicted murderer.
This stance was particularly painful for the victims’ loved ones, who saw how the very administration that had hired their relatives to perform a high-risk public service shirked its obligations when it came time to face the consequences. As lawyer Pau Simarro noted, “it was only fair and brings the case to a close after nine years.” The phrase “only fair” resonates with particular force when one considers that, for nearly a decade, the Government of Catalonia deemed it otherwise.
The decree-law that changed the rules
The turning point came with the approval of a decree-law by the Catalan government that mandates compensation for rural agents who suffer harm in the line of duty. This regulation, which modifies the previous legal framework, was the instrument that finally unlocked the 617,473-euro compensation for the families of the two agents murdered in Aspa.
The inevitable question is: why was a decree-law necessary for the administration to do what logic and justice dictated from the very beginning? The answer likely lies in an administrative culture that tends to prioritize protecting the public treasury over compensating victims, especially when those victims are public servants who have given their lives in the line of duty.
The case of the Aspa rural agents is not an isolated incident. In Catalonia, the rural agent role has traditionally been underfunded and exposed to risks that other agencies, such as the Mossos d’Esquadra, are better equipped to cover. The lack of resources, precarious working conditions, and insufficient recognition for their work have been repeatedly denounced by sector unions.
The real impact for the citizen of Lleida
For the citizens of Lleida, this news carries a bitter edge. On one hand, the compensation represents a belated but necessary recognition of the memory of two professionals who lost their lives protecting our natural environment. On the other, the fact that a decade of administrative struggle was needed to achieve it highlights the shortcomings of a system that, all too often, abandons those who need it most.
The Aspa case should serve as a warning for the Catalan administration. If rural agents—who perform essential work in fire prevention and environmental protection—are not guaranteed adequate protection and swift compensation in the event of tragedy, what message is being sent to those who choose to dedicate their lives to this public service?
Furthermore, the sum of 617,473 euros, while significant, is merely financial consolation for families who have lost their loved ones in the most violent way imaginable. Justice, in such cases, is never complete, but at least it should be swift and exemplary. Neither has happened in this case.
A reflection on the future
The decree-law that made this compensation possible is undoubtedly a regulatory step forward. But it should not be the end of the road. The Government of Catalonia must go further and establish a system of automatic coverage for rural agents who suffer harm in the line of duty, without families having to endure a nine-year bureaucratic ordeal to obtain what is fair.
The people of Lleida, who so greatly value the work of rural agents in protecting our forests and fields, deserve to know that those who risk their lives for us will receive a swift and humane response from the administration. The Aspa case should be the last in a long string of unjustified delays.
As an editorial reflection, one must ask whether the pro-independence movement that has governed Catalonia over these nine years has truly prioritized the protection of public servants, or whether, on the contrary, it has used bureaucracy as a tool to avoid responsibility. The answer, in light of the facts, seems clear: justice has arrived, but it has arrived too late. And for the families of Xevi and David, that is a wound that no amount of money can fully heal.