Barcelona cries out against the expulsion of Maricarmen: "You are not alone!"

BarcelonaThe eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old neighbor from Madrid who uses a wheelchair, has been the catalyst for a wave of protests across the country. Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in eleven cities to show their unrest and fed-up attitude regarding the lack of housing policies that protect cases like this woman's. In Barcelona, about 1,200 people, according to data from the Guàrdia Urbana, gathered in front of the Spanish government delegation to demand urgent solutions and send a message of solidarity to Maricarmen: "You are not alone!".

This protest, called in a rush by the Confederation of Tenants' Unions across the country, comes during a particularly turbulent week. On one hand, due to the report by various social entities of the suicide of Olga, a woman from L’Hospitalet, five months after being evicted. On the other, this Monday the eviction of Sílvia Sanz from her apartment in the Gràcia neighborhood took place, where she had been living for 13 years. Social organizations have been demanding for months the recovery of the anti-eviction moratorium for vulnerable tenants to avoid situations like these.

"These are three women who gave their last breath to defend their homes," lamented the spokesperson for the Tenants' Union, Carme Arcarazo, who assured that, with political will, the eviction of Maricarmen was "absolutely avoidable" and, for that very reason, she also believes it will be a turning point. The tenants' unions point directly to the government of Pedro Sánchez, which keeps the royal decree-law on housing announced in June in a drawer, and also to the PP, Vox, and Junts, who voted against the anti-eviction moratorium and overturned the previous royal decree-law that allowed for the extension of rental contracts.

Arcarazo has argued that this "absolute barbarity" cannot continue to be normalized and has issued an "ultimatum" to the Spanish government. If a decree to prevent this from happening again is not approved at next Tuesday's council of ministers, the unions threaten a general strike. "We cannot wait any longer, today is a borderline situation and it is a turning point, and if we do not see this decree approved on Tuesday, we will hold a general strike," she emphasized. On the other hand, the spokesperson for the Socialist Housing Union of Catalonia, Gisela Bermúdez, has held the various administrations responsible for Olga's suicide.

Evicted in a wheelchair

Maricarmen's eviction was carried out this Wednesday in the fourth attempt to force her out of her home. Although since this Tuesday afternoon hundreds of neighbors and members of the Tenants' Union of the Spanish capital had gathered and installed themselves outside the building, the National Police riot squad executed the eviction order, which led to moments of great tension: the Union has denounced the use of "violence" by the police, with blows to the heads of the protesters, as well as the use of pepper spray.

The property owner, the investment fund Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L., proposed a rent increase to 1,650 euros, which Maricarmen could not afford: she has a pension of 1,350 euros and until now was paying 500 euros in rent, because she had an old rent contract. Despite attempts at negotiation, the fund has refused to budge. Now the neighbor does not know where she will go and, for the moment, the Madrid City Council has assured that it has an "emergency place" in a residence.