Police evicted 87 year old Maricarmen Abascal on Wednesday from her home in Madrid's Retiro neighborhood, where she had lived for seventy one years, despite protests from hundreds of people gathered outside the building and criticism of the eviction order from the central government.
"I've lived here for seventy one years and I don't want to leave," Abascal told reporters before being removed. After being given just 30 minutes to gather her most essential belongings, she was eventually carried out of the building on a stretcher, accompanied by social services staff, and driven away in an ambulance as neighbors chanted "Maricarmen, you're not alone."
The eviction led to tense scenes outside the building, where police forcibly removed protesters blocking the entrance. Witnesses saw officers dragging and pushing demonstrators, lifting some by their arms and legs to clear the doorway, while other activists shouted slogans such as "Ayuso's penthouse for Maricarmen," a reference to the president of the Madrid region.
The apartment had been acquired by investment fund Urbagestion, which was demanding a substantial rent increase from the tenant. An anonymous individual had offered to cover the rent payments, but the owner declined to sign a new lease with Abascal, it later emerged after the eviction.
The case highlights the growing pressure faced by long term tenants in Spain's major cities, where rising rents, gentrification and a shortage of affordable housing are fueling mounting social and political tension. The left wing coalition government has pushed for stronger tenant protections and wider rent controls, though it has struggled to secure sufficient support in a fragmented Congress, while Madrid's conservative regional government favors a more market oriented approach.