María del Carmen Abascal, widely known as Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her longtime Madrid home sparked nationwide protests, has died in hospital.
Maricarmen died Wednesday at Madrid’s Gregorio Marañón Hospital, where she had remained since being evicted from her home on September 23. Her death was announced by housing activists and her lawyer.
Maricarmen had lived in the Retiro district apartment for more than seven decades. Her eviction drew widespread public attention after she was removed from the property on a stretcher because of her fragile health. Images of the incident quickly spread across Spain, triggering protests over the country’s housing crisis and the treatment of vulnerable tenants.
The case turned Maricarmen into a symbol of Spain’s growing housing affordability crisis. Thousands of people took part in demonstrations in Madrid and other cities, while housing activists demanded stronger protections for tenants facing eviction and rising rents.
The pressure eventually led the company involved in the dispute to reach an agreement that would have allowed Maricarmen to return to her home after leaving hospital. However, the agreement came too late, as her health deteriorated during her hospitalization.
The cause of Maricarmen’s death has not been publicly disclosed. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, confirmed her death while expressing sorrow over the impact of the eviction and the events that followed.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered condolences to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones, while Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez also paid tribute to the elderly woman and those who supported her during the dispute.
Her death has further intensified public debate over Spain’s housing policies. Protesters gathered in Madrid following the announcement, with activists pledging to continue campaigning for greater housing protections.
Maricarmen’s case has also had political consequences, with the housing dispute becoming part of a wider national debate over affordability, tenant protections and government policy.
For many housing activists, her story has become a rallying point for demands for reforms aimed at protecting vulnerable renters and addressing Spain’s housing shortage.
Swifteradio.com
