In Mallorca, businesses like Molta Barra de Palma are already displaying signs from the Denaria Platform asking their customers to pay in cash.
Javier Rúperez, a diplomat and former PP politician, leads this state initiative that was born four years ago and includes companies like Trablisa or Eurodivisas among its associates.
Rupérez argues that last Monday's blackout "dramatically highlighted" the importance of cash and its central role in our economy and lives "as a guarantee of freedom, security, privacy, and the possibility of accessing the system." Despite the expansion of electronic payment methods, Denaria does not believe they are losing any battle: "We have placed the issue in the public debate and we have a survey that shows that 60% of citizens use cash." Rupérez denies the association between cash and the underground economy and counters that the volume of fraud is greater in the digital realm. One of Denaria's lines of action is to facilitate complaints against businesses that do not allow cash payments: "We receive about 400 a month," he assures.
The blackout on Monday has reinforced their message: "It is important to remember what it meant not to have cash during those hours and to think about what would have happened if the situation had lasted much longer." The Denaria Platform has urged the Government of Spain to urgently implement a national cash system that guarantees its availability and functionality as a critical infrastructure.
On April 28, millions of citizens were unable to make digital payments due to the collapse of electrical and telecommunications networks (interruptions that were also experienced in the Balearic Islands for a few hours). In that context, cash became the only viable way to acquire basic goods and services. "What happened on Monday is a clear demonstration of the fragility of the digital ecosystem and the need for a physical, robust alternative that is independent of electricity supply and the internet," insists Rupérez.
The organization emphasizes that it is not an ideological issue, but a matter of national security and the guarantee of fundamental rights. Therefore, it has requested that cash be recognized as critical infrastructure, in line with European guidelines on the resilience of essential services. They have also recommended that citizens maintain a reserve of cash for future contingencies. Among the measures proposed by Denaria, the following stand out: the design of a national system to ensure the logistics and supply of cash throughout the territory, the reinforcement of the network of ATMs—especially in rural areas—and citizen awareness campaigns.
The blackout on April 28, the third of its kind in Spain's history, has been the most severe to date. While in previous instances the interruption lasted only a few hours, this time the magnitude was such that it clearly demonstrated the vulnerability of the digital system, emphasize the Denaria Platform, which concludes that "cash is not a relic of the past, but a strategic necessity to ensure the functioning of the economy and financial freedom."
Source: Diario de Mallorca
