Madrid mobilizes again for Maricarmen's eviction: the march will go through Puerta del Sol, Cibeles this Saturday and will reach Congress

The eviction of Maricarmen will once again fill the streets of central Madrid. The Tenants' Union has called for a demonstration this Saturday, September 26, which will start at 6:30 PM from Puerta del Sol, proceed along Alcalá street to Cibeles, and reach the Congress of Deputies after passing through Neptuno square.

The choice of route concentrates a good part of the political message of the march. The protest will begin in front of the headquarters of the Community of Madrid, pass in front of the City Council, and end next to the Congress, pointing to the three administrations that the organizers reproach for none having been able to prevent an 87-year-old woman from losing the house she had lived in since 1956.

Under the slogan "Not one more Maricarmen," the Union wants to turn the indignation over this eviction into a broader mobilization against real estate speculation and the expulsion of residents from their neighborhoods. "We cannot continue to tolerate being expelled from our neighborhoods and having our lives torn apart. We want homes to live in, not to speculate with," states the call.

The march comes three days after the protests that swept through Madrid following the eviction. More than 10,000 people, according to data provided by the Government Delegation, gathered on Wednesday in front of the penthouse acquired by the public company Planifica Madrid in Chamberí and subsequently advanced towards Paseo de la Castellana. The mobilization ended with moments of tension and police charges.

The eviction was executed on the fourth attempt and after a long legal battle. Maricarmen was taken on a stretcher from her home on Alcalde Sáinz de Baranda street and transferred to Gregorio Marañón Hospital. The dispute arose over the legal duration of the last subrogation of an old rent contract, while she continued to pay a rent of about 500 euros per month.

On the verge of the weekend, her return home remains unresolved. The City Council has rejected Urbagestión's proposal to incorporate the apartment into the ReViVa program as "unviable", although it has offered the mediation of the Municipal Housing and Land Company. Representatives of Maricarmen and the property are scheduled to meet with municipal mediators on Monday.

Maricarmen calls to return to the streets from the hospital

Maricarmen has asked from the hospital for the mobilization to continue. "I haven't managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others learn to fight for theirs," she states in a video released this Friday by the Tenants' Union.

The woman has thanked the support received during the last months, especially from those who remained with her the night before the eviction and tried to stop the launch. She has also dedicated a few words to the Union and her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, for having stood by her throughout the process.

Although she appears visibly tired and affected, Maricarmen maintains her determination and encourages participation in the demonstration. "My home has been my life and now I have to leave it behind, but that doesn't mean I won't continue fighting," she assures.