Ayuso's Government hides its appearances from the press to avoid questions about the purchase of the controversial penthouse

The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is avoiding questions from journalists about the latest controversies affecting her Government, among them the acquisition by the regional Executive of a luxury penthouse in Chamberí valued at six million euros. In recent days, the Madrid Executive would not be including some of the president's events and trips in the official agenda, a practice that makes it difficult for the media to know in advance about her appearances and ask her questions about these matters.

Ayuso visited Soto de Viñuelas, in Tres Cantos, yesterday, where she announced a one-million-euro aid package for owners of plots near forest areas to replace arizonicas and other resinous species with varieties with less fire propagation capacity. However, there is no trace of her presence in the agenda of the Government of the Community of Madrid. 

For this Friday, it is only scheduled that the Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Interior of the Community of Madrid, Carlos Novillo, presides over the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bullfighting Affairs Center of the Community of Madrid, in which the posters for the next Autumn Fair in the Las Ventas Bullring will be approved.

The strategy would not be new. Ayuso has already made appearances before the media on other occasions in which, despite journalists being present, no question and answer session was opened. The situation has been repeated precisely while information related to the Chamberí property, its subsequent sale, and other controversies such as the expenses of her trip to Mexico accumulate.

Just three days ago, the president visited several agricultural farms in Villa del Prado affected by the Sierra Oeste fire. There she announced a one-million-euro fund to help affected farmers and explained the measures deployed by the Community to address the effects of the fire. However, once her intervention was over, Ayuso left the place without allowing questions from the journalists covering the event.

The appearance occurred a few days after another episode of tension with the media. The previous Friday, during the first meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the Reconstruction of the Sierra Oeste, held in Aldea del Fresno, the president did address journalists, although she reacted with evident discomfort when questions turned to the Chamberí penthouse and the circumstances of its acquisition and subsequent sale.

"I am focused on important problems. Why don't you ask just once about the affected people and what we are doing?" Ayuso responded then, asking journalists to have "the sensitivity to at least pretend" and focus on the emergency caused by the fires, which have devastated more than 25,000 hectares in the region.

The Madrid president also accused the media of acting according to the interests of her political adversaries. "I don't work for Pedro Sánchez nor for what he organizes," she stated while pointing to the microphones. "When my adversaries return from vacation, we'll talk," she added before leaving the place accompanied by members of her team.