Madrid (EFE).- Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction sparked housing protests in Spain, died on Wednesday after spending 15 days in the hospital, according to a statement released by the Tenants’ Union.
Maricarmen’s fight alongside the Tenants’ Union to avoid eviction from her rental apartment, where she had lived for 71 years, strengthened the protests that culminated in a sit-in at Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol, which led the Spanish government to pass two housing decrees.
Congress later repealed these measures with the votes of the conservative parties, which precipitated the early elections that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday.
«We regret to announce that Maricarmen passed away today,» the Tenants’ Union stated in a press release, where they lamented that «although a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, it came too late. This was an entirely preventable situation following an agonizing process.”
The union was referring to the agreement reached on Sep. 28 with the building’s owner so that Maricarmen could return to her home in Madrid.
A symbol of the fight for affordable housing
Maricarmen had a lease with an affordable, long-standing rent, originally signed by her father and later transferred to her mother.
After buying the apartment, the property owner claimed that the lease had expired and demanded that the elderly woman pay a new rent that she could not afford.
Despite attempts at negotiation by her lawyer, the Ministry of Housing, and several offers from private individuals to cover the rent, Maricarmen was evicted on the fourth attempt.
Images of her being carried out of her home on a stretcher and taken to the hospital sparked protests.
Amid the demonstrations, the apartment owners ultimately reached an agreement allowing Maricarmen to return home at a rent not exceeding 30% of her net income.
The Tenants’ Union stated that they will carry on her legacy of struggle and fulfill what she always asked of them: «Fight, keep fighting for what is yours.»
“The events triggered by the injustice of her eviction undoubtedly mark a turning point in this country’s history: massive demonstrations, encampments in public squares, a snap election, and the call for a general strike,” the Tenants’ Union stated.
These activists noted that the housing debate is at the center, but the cost of getting here has been too high.
«Your family, your lawyer, and your union will continue to defend the right to housing and fight against speculators with the strength and courage you taught us. We will keep fighting for you, for all of us, just as you always wanted,» the activists emphasized.
Maricarmen’s example and face were central to the first weeks of protests following her eviction. From the hospital, she made videos calling for the approval of the “Maricarmen Decree,” which included housing measures.
Meanwhile, the government pushed through two decrees that were ultimately overturned by the Congress of Deputies.
After calling for early general elections, the Spanish government once again approved two housing decrees that will be debated and voted on by the Permanent Deputation of Congress on Oct. 16.
Meanwhile, a crowd has gathered between Madrid’s Puerta del Sol and the Congress of Deputies to express outrage over the death of Maricarmen.
News of her death caused great consternation at the Sol encampment, with a minute of silence shortly after 8:30 pm. The silence was broken by chants of: «Maricarmen is gone, but the struggle continues» and «In our struggle, Maricarmen lives on.»
Many people joined the protest and arrived at Puerta del Sol. From there, a police-protected rally toward the Congress of Deputies started. EFE
int/dgp/mcd
