Ayuso's minister insists on the "institutional use" lie to justify the purchase of the luxury penthouse: he does not show the purchase file and deflects the focus with Sánchez and RTVE

The Minister of the Presidency of the Community of Madrid, Miguel Ángel García Martín, attended the Assembly this Thursday to offer the regional Government's version of the Chamberí penthouse. His explanation was based on a difficult-to-sustain thesis. Isabel Díaz Ayuso's Executive bought a luxury residential property as a supposed "complement to institutional activity" and to support the ministries during the works of the Real Casa de Correos.

García Martín read documents selected by the Community of Madrid itself, but did not present the complete purchase file. Instead, he dedicated a considerable part of his intervention to blaming Pedro Sánchez, criticizing RTVE, and accusing the left and "ultra-left" of fabricating a campaign against Ayuso.

"The Community of Madrid never bought a property for the president's residence, who, as always, lives in her own home," he assured. The minister defended that Planifica Madrid acquired the penthouse for 6.3 million euros with its own funds and denied any overcost due to commissions.

The argument about own funds aims to distance the operation from regional accounts, although Planifica Madrid is a public company and the resources used are part of its assets. The purchase also generated the payment of 378,000 euros in Property Transfer Tax, which raised the outlay to almost 6.7 million.

The central phrase of the appearance came when García Martín tried to explain why the home was actually bought. "It is acquired mainly as a complement to the institutional activity of the different ministries and support for the dependencies within the framework of the works being carried out in the Real Casa de Correos," he stated.

This version clashes with the characteristics and urban planning regime of the property. It is a residential penthouse located in a residential building, without a license to become an ordinary administrative headquarters. The possibility of enabling an accessory office within a home also does not turn its nearly 480 square meters and its large terrace into institutional dependencies for several ministries.

The regional Government has now added that the penthouse should have a work area, a rest area and "occasional accommodation" for visiting authorities or for the Community of Madrid's own authorities. The report that includes this justification is dated July 2, almost three months after the acquisition was formalized.

"Where is its ghost? Where is the official residence that was going to be provided for the president?", García Martín asked while showing part of the documentation. He also insisted that Ayuso "pays for her housing and her vacations" and used the president's private rental contract to reject any relationship between her and the penthouse bought with public money.

That Ayuso rents a private home does not clarify who ordered the search for the property on General Martínez Campos, who set the conditions, who visited it before buying it, or why a luxury home with a terrace was chosen to cover alleged administrative needs.

Attacks on Sánchez to dodge questions about the purchase

García Martín has presented the controversy as a maneuver aimed at covering up the Government's management during the Ceuta migration crisis, corruption cases linked to "sanchismo" and judicial proceedings affecting the president's inner circle.

The counselor even accused Sánchez of remaining "in vacation flip-flops" during the entry of migrants into Ceuta and maintained that "Spain is too big for him". He also pointed to RTVE and left-wing parties as participants in a political offensive against the Madrid president.

The long attack against Moncloa has relegated to the background the main questions about an operation carried out on April 14 and publicly unknown for more than three months. García Martín has also not clarified why confidentiality was required, why that penthouse was chosen over other available properties, or why Planifica Madrid then rented it to the autonomous administration itself.

This Thursday, it was also learned that no one has submitted an admissible offer to acquire it. The Madrid Executive had announced its sale shortly after the purchase came to light and linked the expected income to the reconstruction of areas affected by fires.

The counselor concluded his speech by demanding apologies and resignations from those who have questioned the operation. "The president challenged them last week to prove that the Community of Madrid had bought her an official residence to live in and, if they couldn't, to submit their resignation. Well, they are taking too long to do so," he snapped to applause from the PP.

García Martín has demanded accountability from the opposition while the complete purchase file still has not reached his hands.