Forced eviction of 87-year-old 'Maricarmen' despite UN appeal causes outrage in Spain

Maricarmen Abascal, affectionately known as Maricarmen, was recently evicted from her home in central Madrid at the age of 87. This marks the fourth attempt at eviction over the years, with the latest one following several postponements. On Wednesday morning, police cleared a crowd of hundreds who had gathered to prevent the eviction from taking place.

For nearly 70 years, Maricarmen had lived in the flat at 46 Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street, having signed an old-style regulated tenancy agreement with her parents in 1956. The property was then passed on to her father, before ultimately belonging to her upon his death in 2005. Despite her disability, Maricarmen's monthly pension was significantly lower than the €2,500 monthly rent demanded by the property company.

The eviction was originally halted by a court on October 2025, but it was repeated on June 2nd this year, also an attempt that was postponed at the last minute. The UN had previously called for the eviction to be stopped, but their request was not sufficient. In Spain's Congress, Socialist spokesperson Patxi López defended the government's actions, shifting responsibility to Madrid City Council and the regional government.

The property company, Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L., argued that the second succession was invalid and that the contract had lapsed.

Despite receiving offers for alternative housing from the City of Madrid and the Samur Social service, Maricarmen declined them all. In the end, she chose to move in with her relatives. The eviction has brought attention to Madrid's housing crisis, making Maricarmen one of the most recognizable faces of the issue.