The elderly woman was taken by ambulance to Gregorio Marañón Hospital. This was the fourth eviction attempt since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Urbagestión fund over the rent increase it imposed, which exceeded 275% compared with the previous rent paid by her parents.
Following a night camp organized by multiple activists, the eviction attempt began at 6:30 a.m. and continued at 9:00 a.m. The union tried, unsuccessfully, to mediate with the judicial officials. Throughout the morning, police charges and clashes with activists were reported as tensions mounted, until the National Police entered the entrance to her home.
POLITICAL REACTIONS
The eviction had been denounced for several days by several political parties. From the government, Housing and Urban Agenda Minister Isabel Rodríguez called on lawmakers to support a decree banning this type of eviction and criticized Madrid City Council and the regional government for failing to take responsibility.
Rodríguez stressed this morning that the fund that owns the property was “making a mockery of public administrations” and the public by refusing to sell the property or accept a rent supplement. The Housing Ministry criticized the regional government for not lifting “a finger” in cases like this, saying they feel “backed.”
From the Madrid regional government, its spokesperson, Miguel Ángel García, said the regional executive had offered her a place in a public care home on two occasions. Maricarmen had repeatedly refused because she wanted to spend the rest of her days at home. Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida, for his part, said the city had made “all the resources of its social services available to her,” including telecare, home assistance and occupational therapy from municipal professionals, as well as ongoing contact with Samur-Protección Civil and Samur Social.
UNION REACTION
Speaking after the eviction, Alicia del Río, spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union, regretted that the eviction of a woman who, she said, had “never once stopped paying” her rent had ultimately taken place, despite her wish to remain in the home where she had lived for decades.
The spokesperson criticized the police and judicial operation deployed to carry out the eviction and said it had been placed “at the service of speculators” and “vulture funds,” rather than the people who gathered to try to stop the eviction. Specifically, Del Río criticized Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso and accused her government of “favoring the interests of investment funds and large property owners over the right to housing.”
CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT
Del Río also extended responsibility to the central government and accused the executive of having “abandoned” Mari Carmen. In particular, she criticized the PSOE and Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez, whom she accused of using the case “in a partisan manner” to confront the People’s Party.
The spokesperson also held the Government Delegation in Madrid responsible for the actions of the National Police during the eviction and alleged that several people taking part in the protest “were beaten” and suffered the effects of the agents used by police during the operation.
“What is this progressive government for?” Del Río asked, saying that what happened represented “a turning point” and calling on the parties that support the executive to comment on its actions. Specifically, she addressed Podemos, Bildu and ERC, as well as Sumar’s ministers, asking what measures they would adopt following the eviction and what they would do with the housing royal decree-law that the Housing Ministry had referred to in recent days.
