Spanish Pensioner Who Sparked Housing Protests Dies at 87
Should Maricarmen's loss galvanize further action or should politicizing her death be avoided?
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Above: Protesters gather in Madrid after learning of the death of María del Carmen Abascal on Oct. 7. Image credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
The Facts
- María del Carmen Abascal, the Spanish pensioner who became the face of the country's ongoing housing protests, died aged 87 on Wednesday.
- Abascal, who was better known as Maricarmen, had lived in her apartment in the Retiro neighborhood of Madrid since the 1950s but became locked into a dispute over rent with Urbagestión, an investment fund, after it purchased her building in 2018.
- The fund initially sought to increase her rent from €500 ($560) to €2,650 ($2,967) before later agreeing to raise it to €1,650 ($1,847). However, this was still above her monthly pension payment of €1,350 ($1,511).
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The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Authorities have been clear to send their condolences concerning this death, but the fact that she became the figurehead of a movement does not mean her death can be politicized. Housing issues must be addressed through considered and nuanced policy — rioting helps nobody.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is not just a death but a murder. Housing has become a finite, traded commodity in Spain rather than a human right. When politicians prioritize finance over the lives of those they represent, the people are forced to respond, and they do so in the memory of Maricarmen.
