Spain: Maricarmen, the 87-year-old symbol of the housing struggle, has died

Rome, 7 Oct. (LaPresse) – Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old Spanish woman who became a symbol of the housing struggle after her eviction in Madrid sparked a wave of protests across the country against the housing crisis, has died. The news was announced by the Sindicato de Inquilinas. The woman had been evicted on 23 September from her flat in the El Retiro neighbourhood, where she had lived for 70 years. She had been in hospital ever since. “Although a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution came too late. It was a situation that could easily have been avoided after such a gruelling process,” the union stated.