The luxury penthouse excuse falters: Ayuso already has an office ready to work in the Madrid Assembly

Isabel Díaz Ayuso already has a fully operational office to maintain her activity during the works of the Real Casa de Correos. It is located in the Assembly of Madrid, has a meeting room, space for her secretarial team, and all the necessary computer and security systems.

Sources from the PP of Madrid consulted by 'ElConstitucional.es' question for this reason the purchase of the luxury penthouse in Chamberí initially presented as a temporary solution for the president. "She already has an operational office with space for her, a meeting room, and her secretarial team," they explain.

The facilities are located on the ground floor of the building that houses the plenary hall of the Assembly. According to these sources, Ayuso occupies the space to the right of the entrance next to her closest collaborators and moves there every time she attends a parliamentary session.

The president uses this office to continue working during plenary sessions, receive documentation, and hold meetings with her team. 'ElConstitucional.es' has had access to two images of the space, one of them with Ayuso inside, which confirm the existence of these facilities.

The office will remain available during the rehabilitation of the regional government headquarters in Puerta del Sol. Its use would allow the president's immediate activity to be maintained without buying another property or facing the necessary works to transform a home into an administrative space.

A space ready for Ayuso and room for her team

Popular sources assure that the office meets the necessary conditions for Ayuso to continue working during the renovation of the Real Casa de Correos. "That would not cost public money. It is already operational and has all the computer and security systems," they emphasize.

The possible lack of space to move all the Presidency staff would also have a solution within the parliamentary precinct. The old building of the groups has liberated dependencies after the disappearance of Ciudadanos from the Assembly, which could be adapted to temporarily house part of the workers.

"With the departure of Ciudadanos, the group building could be rehabilitated for the workers of the Presidency," point out the consulted sources. This alternative would require an adaptation of the facilities, although it would avoid acquiring a luxury home in one of the most expensive areas of Madrid.

The existence of the office has also begun to enter public discussion. Marta Carmona, a Más Madrid deputy, asked this Wednesday on 'laSexta' why Ayuso needs the penthouse when she has empty offices in the Assembly. Sources from the Madrid PP go further and maintain that the space assigned to the president is prepared and used regularly.

Within the party, the choice of a 485-square-meter penthouse instead of already equipped institutional dependencies has aroused strong suspicions. "It hides something more than having an office," sources from the Madrid PP hint. The phrase reflects an internal suspicion about the operation, whose definitive destination has not yet been clarified by the regional government.

The explanation of the penthouse changes in a few hours

The first version offered by the Community of Madrid indicated that the property would serve as a temporary office for Ayuso during the planned works in Sol. Hours later, the president's team admitted that this decision "is not 100% made" and postponed the choice of its use until October or November.

Ayuso subsequently defended the purchase as a way to hold "institutional meetings" during the renovation. "Looking for a place where institutional meetings can be temporarily held seems to me to be the right thing to do," she stated, although she also acknowledged that she does not know how the transfer will be organized.

The president has described the information about the penthouse as a "smear campaign" and has denied that she will use it as a residence. Nor has she revealed the amount paid, the reasons for choosing a home instead of renting offices, or why other public buildings were ruled out.

Planifica Madrid acquired the property last April 14. It has 485 square meters, about 200 meters of terrace, and a market value that could approach six million euros. The investment was not included in the known budget of the public company and still does not appear on its transparency portal.

Added to these unknowns is the possible urban planning conflict advanced by 'ElConstitucional.es'. The building maintains a residential use and the General Urban Planning Plan of Madrid only allows administrative offices to be established up to the first floor in properties with that classification. The penthouse is on the ninth floor.

While the regional government decides in autumn what it will do with the home acquired in April, Ayuso keeps at her disposal the Assembly office with an office, meeting room, secretariat, and security. "It is already operational and would not cost public money," insist sources from the PP of Madrid.