Maricarmen Abascal dies at 87, two weeks after being evicted from her home in Madrid

Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman evicted from her apartment on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street on September 23, died today, Wednesday, October 7, according to the Madrid Tenants' Union in a statement. Since the launch, she remained hospitalized, although she had reached an agreement that allowed her to return home once she was discharged.

"Although a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution has come too late," lamented the Tenants' Union, which has described what happened after a procedure that it defines as "torturing" as "absolutely avoidable."

The eviction was carried out on September 23 after a prolonged dispute over the old rental contract that her father had signed in 1956. The judicial commission finally completed the eviction while hundreds of people gathered in front of the property where the woman had resided for more than 70 years. Maricarmen left the building on a stretcher and was taken by ambulance to the Gregorio Marañón Hospital, where she had remained admitted since then.

His case had meanwhile triggered a nationwide mobilization that led, after more than a week of intense protests, demonstrations and a camp established for days in Puerta del Sol, in the call for early elections by the President of the Government.

His case led the Government to approve two royal decrees with measures on housing, known politically as the Maricarmen Decrees, which were rejected by the Congress of Deputies. The subsequent political crisis led to the advancement of the general elections to November 29. CCOO and UGT also announced the call for a 24-hour general strike due to the housing crisis.

"The events unleashed by the injustice of her eviction undoubtedly represent a before and after in the history of this country," the Tenants' Union now maintains, citing one of the requests that Maricarmen conveyed to them: "Fight, continue fighting for what is yours."

Delicate state of health

After her eviction, Maricarmen wanted to publicly thank the support received during the previous days and sent a message to those who had supported her fight to remain in her home.

"I have not managed to defend my house, but I have fought so that others learn to fight for theirs," he said then. He also asked those who followed his case to defend their right to housing and demanded an end to the problems related to the so-called vulture funds.

The situation took a turn a few days after the eviction. On September 28, representatives of Maricarmen and Urbagestion Desarrollo e Inversión SL, the company that owns the property, reached an agreement so that the woman could return to what had been her home for more than 70 years. The negotiation was mediated by the Madrid City Council through the Rental Intermediation Service of the Municipal Housing and Land Company (EMVS).