The file on Ayuso's Government penthouse entrenches itself behind a burofax: Planifica Madrid blocks PSOE's access to the document

The PSOE of Madrid has reported that Planifica Madrid has refused to provide a socialist deputy with the complete file on the purchase of the Chamberí penthouse acquired for 6.3 million euros by the public company dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency. The documentation was requested by regional deputy Tatiana Jiménez, who received a burofax in response – according to 'Público' – stating that she must process her request through the Assembly of Madrid.

The socialist parliamentarian had requested the file last August 6, after the real estate operation and the subsequent decision of Isabel Díaz Ayuso's Government to put the property up for sale became known. Planifica Madrid maintains that requests for information addressed to the regional Executive must be channeled through parliamentary procedures. The PSOE, for its part, questions the operation and considers that the property, which was to be temporarily used as Ayuso's office during the works on the Royal Post Office, is a "luxury apartment" that would not have the necessary authorization to function as an office.

The acquisition of the penthouse took place in April and was not publicly communicated at that time. The operation came to light on July 29 and, the next day, the Community announced that it would sell the property, setting a starting price of 6.69 million euros and committing to allocate the funds obtained to the recovery of the areas affected by this summer's fires in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid.

The controversy continues after Ayuso again avoided giving explanations about the purchase yesterday. Asked during her visit to San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the regional president chose to close the matter with the expression "It's for sale, chao pescao". Her words also come after the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, acknowledged that he knew since April that the regional Executive was looking for a space to temporarily move its offices while works were being carried out at the headquarters of the Presidency of Madrid.

The Government responds to "chao pescao"

Several ministers of the Government of Pedro Sánchez have spoken out through their social networks regarding Ayuso's response. In this regard, the first to do so was the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, who wrote in an X post: "More than chao pescao, it's that they caught you."

“You will have to answer before the courts, before the Assembly and before the citizens about the expenditure of more than 6 million euros on a luxury penthouse paid with everyone's money”, López concluded in his criticism of the Madrid president.

Mónica García, the Minister of Health, has also responded to the Madrid president's statements through a message on her social networks. “The problem with saying ‘chao pescao’ when they catch you with a 6 million public money penthouse is that then the judge arrives and the fish is still there”, García stated.

The PP knew about the works in April

The president of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in an interview he granted to the news agency ‘Europa Press’ has admitted that he knew since April that the headquarters of the Community of Madrid was going to carry out works, so they were looking for a place to temporarily move the offices of Ayuso's Executive.

The confession has been supported in turn by the party's spokesman, Borja Sémper, who, in the press conference after the party's Steering Committee, stated: “In a meeting, he was told – to the ‘popular’ president – 'we are going to do some works here'. 'Oh, very good'. That is the information Feijóo had."

The Madrid president had denied knowing that the search and purchase of the property was being carried out, while Feijóo has assured that he had already been informed in April that the Community was looking for alternative spaces to temporarily move the Presidency team during the works of the Real Casa de Correos. In this way, the recognition of the PP leader introduces doubts about the version maintained until now by the regional government about when and how the operation became known.

Ayuso defended this Monday that the property acquired by the Community should not be presented as a home. “It is a property intended for offices that can also house offices”, she affirmed. The president thus rejected the criticisms that focus on the residential nature of the penthouse and accused the opposition of trying to build a controversy based on that consideration: “They have tried to link it to a home and there is no home. Again the opposition crashes again.”

The operation dates back to last April, when the Madrid Executive acquired for 6.7 million euros a penthouse located in Chamberí through Planifica Madrid. The intention communicated by the Community was to use it as a provisional space for the president and part of her team while the renovation works of the Real Casa de Correos, in Puerta del Sol, were carried out. However, the General Urban Planning Plan of Madrid does not allow that property to be used as an office. Faced with multiple criticisms, finally, the Madrid Executive decided to put the property up for sale.