{
  "id": 12732397,
  "title": "87-Year-Old Woman Who Had Been Evicted from Her Home Dies in Spain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/87-year-old-woman-who-had-been-evicted-from-her-home-dies-in-spain",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T22:32:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/10/07/87-year-old-woman-who-had-been-evicted-from-her-home-dies-in-spain/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maria del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman, died in Spain after being evicted from her home where she had lived since 1957. The incident occurred in Madrid's Retiro neighborhood and sparked nationwide protests against the Spanish government's handling of the housing crisis.\n\nPedro Sanchez, the country's president, initially proposed two decrees to address the issue, but they were rejected by the Congress of Deputies. The rejection led to Sanchez's decision to call early elections. Maria was evicted from her apartment after a significant rent increase from 500 euros to 2,650 euros.\n\nAlthough a historic agreement was reached to allow her to return to her home, it came too late for Maria. The Madrid Tenants' Union expressed regret over her passing and noted that the solution was rendered ineffective due to her declining health.\n\nUpon her eviction, Maria was transported to a Madrid hospital due to her inability to pay the exorbitant rent increase imposed by the property owner. Her eviction sparked outrage among Spaniards, with many viewing it as a symbol of the broader housing crisis in the country. Hundreds of people camped near the Congress headquarters in solidarity with Maria, and the gesture was later replicated in various Spanish cities.\n\nSanchez expressed his condolences to Maria's family and expressed solidarity with those affected by the housing crisis. The Tenants' Union highlighted Maria's long legal battle and emphasized the importance of continuing the fight for housing rights. They concluded by urging Spaniards to \"fight, keep fighting for what is yours,\" as Maria had always urged them to do.",
  "summary": "Fifteen days after Maria del Carmen Abascal, 87, was evicted from the apartment where she had lived since 1957, in the Retiro neighborhood (Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street), in Madrid, the woman died. The case of Maricarmen, as she was known, sparked protests throughout the country against the president of the Spanish government, the left-wing […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Woman, 87, whose eviction triggered snap election in Spain following housing protests has died",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/woman-87-whose-eviction-triggered-snap-election-in-spain-following",
        "published": "2026-10-07T18:40:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Maricarmen, symbol of Spain's housing protests, dies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/maricarmen-symbol-of-spains-housing-protests-dies",
        "published": "2026-10-07T18:47:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Pensioner whose eviction sparked Spain protests dies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/pensioner-whose-eviction-sparked-spain-protests-dies",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:12:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Evicted pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, heart of Spain's housing protests, dies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/evicted-pensioner-maricarmen-abascal-heart-of-spains-housing-protests",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:19:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Spain’s PM offers condolences after reported death of 87-year-old whose eviction sparked protests",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/spains-pm-offers-condolences-after-reported-death-of-87-year-old",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:24:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "El Pais English",
        "title": "Maricarmen, the woman who became a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis, dies at 87",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/maricarmen-the-woman-who-became-a-symbol-of-spains-housing-crisis",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:38:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "The 87-year-old evicted pensioner who sparked Spain housing protests dies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/the-87-year-old-evicted-pensioner-who-sparked-spain-housing-protests",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:58:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Evicted 87-year-old woman Maricarmen, heart of Spain’s housing protests, has died",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/evicted-87-year-old-woman-maricarmen-heart-of-spains-housing-protests",
        "published": "2026-10-07T20:46:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Evicted pensioner who sparked Spain housing protests dies: tenant union",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/evicted-pensioner-who-sparked-spain-housing-protests-dies-tenant-union-12723537",
        "published": "2026-10-07T21:46:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}