Maria del Carmen Abascal, known in Spain as Maricarmen, died at the age of 87 in the “Gregorio Marañón“ hospital in Madrid. Her eviction from her home in late September sparked mass protests against the housing crisis and made the elderly woman a symbol of the fight against evictions.
The death was announced by the Tenants' Union, Maricarmen's family and her lawyer. She had remained in hospital since being evicted on September 23. The cause of death has not been made public. El Pais said she died in a Madrid hospital, while the Tenants' Union said she had been hospitalized since the day of the eviction.
She had lived in her home since 1956
Maricarmén had lived in the apartment in Madrid's Retiro district since 1956, when her parents signed a lease. After her father's death, the lease passed to her mother, and then to her. She had lived in the apartment for more than seven decades.
The dispute began after the property was sold to an investment company. The owner challenged her right to stay in the apartment due to the successive transfer of the lease. The case reached Spain's Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the owners in March.
Maricarmén received a pension of 1,400 euros and paid about 500 euros a month for rent and bills. After the court ruling, she was asked to pay a rent that was significantly higher than her previous one and beyond her means. Four attempts were made before the final eviction, the first three of which were postponed.
„Fight for what is yours“
On September 23, Maricarmen was taken out of the apartment on a stretcher, while her supporters gathered outside the building. There were protests in Madrid and several other Spanish cities. According to the Spanish delegation in Madrid, one of the demonstrations in the capital alone attracted around 10,000 people.
After pressure from protesters, an agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home with a new lease. However, her union, family and lawyer said the decision came too late. In her final message to the protesters, Maricarmen said: “Fight, keep fighting for what is yours.“
The housing crisis is now a political crisis
Maricarmen's case has brought the housing crisis to the center of the political agenda. The Spanish government has approved 21 emergency measures, including protection for vulnerable tenants, restrictions on speculative property purchases and a €10 billion fund for loans for first-time home buyers.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “We will not allow more evictions like what Maricarmen experienced.“ The measures must be confirmed by the interim parliament after snap elections were scheduled for November 29. At the same time, tenants' unions said they would continue protests and campaign for the right to affordable housing.
Sources: euronews.com, elpais.com, apnews.com