Eviction of 87-Year-Old Woman Sparks Protests in Madrid
Police escorted Maricarmen Abascal from the apartment in Madrid she had called home for more than seven decades.
In Madrid, Spain, an 87-year-old woman named Maricarmen Abascal sparked protests after being evicted from her home on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street. For at least 71 years, Maricarmen had called this residence her own. As the eviction process unfolded, dozens of people gathered around the perimeter of her property, expressing their outrage through chants of "Maricarmen, you are not alone" and "Murderers."
Maricarmen's eviction marked a stark reminder of the mounting pressure faced by long-term tenants in Spain's urban centers. Rising rental prices, driven by gentrification and the scarcity of affordable housing, have fueled public discontent. With only 30 minutes to collect her belongings, Maricarmen was escorted by riot police officers and placed on a stretcher, being transported to an ambulance.
The case of Maricarmen's eviction dates back eight years. Initially a tenant of a private landlord, she later became embroiled in a legal battle when a real estate company acquired the property in 2018. This ongoing dispute has resulted in four previous attempts to force Maricarmen out of her home. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, revealed that the real estate company had dismissed her legal team's proposals and rejected requests to delay her removal.
Alicia del Rio, spokesperson for the tenants' association Inquilinas de Madrid, stated that Maricarmen was taken to a nearby hospital via ambulance. Moreover, an anonymous writer offered to cover the elderly woman's rent, but the real estate company declined the offer. Spain's housing crisis continues to divide the nation, with the left-wing government advocating for stronger tenant protections and rent controls, while the conservative regional government favors a market-oriented approach.
Madrid's mayor, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, faces criticism for her involvement in purchasing luxury properties worth €6.3 million.
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