We spoke with comrade Flavia Rovella about the latest developments in Spain, the massive movement that has been created, and the snap elections that Spain is heading toward.
15 days after being evicted from her home, and following a flood of people filling the squares and streets all over Spain, Maricarmen Abascal passed away!
The protesters, who have been out on the streets since September 23rd, are chanting “evictions kill”, “she didn’t die, they murdered her”, “the capitalist system killed her”.
The movement that supported Maricarmen applied pressure in every direction, forcing the “vulture company” (the real estate investment firm Urbagestion) into a compromise so that Maricarmen could return to her home. But unfortunately, she didn’t make it in time.
The uproar caused by her case and the movement that was built accomplished what the entire system, the judiciary, social services, and the state failed to do!
Of course, the speculative fund only backed down for public relations — not because they became sensitive or are willing to change their policy.
87-year-old Maricarmen passed away on 07/10/26 in a hospital bed! She didn’t get the chance to go back to the home she had lived in for 70 years. These two weeks of daily protests culminated on 3/10/2026 with 500,000 people at Plaza del Sol and other parallel mobilizations in 50 locations across Spain.
Under this pressure, Pedro Sánchez’s government was forced to introduce a bill to freeze evictions.
However, the Parliamentary majority voted it down, clearly taking the side of the real estate speculators!!!
Who voted against it? The entirety of the Right and the Far-Right: the right-wing Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox, along with the also right-wing Catalan Junts (led by the exiled former head of the regional government, Carles Puigdemont).
The public reaction after the rejection of the “Maricarmen Decree” to freeze evictions proposed by Pedro Sánchez’s government was staggering!
Those who voted down the “Maricarmen decrees” are the same ones who play the anti-system card and want to deport immigrants, claiming immigrants cause the economic crisis! They have been unmasked!
The rejection of the bill triggered the call for snap elections on 29/11/2026.
In reality, the goal of the far-right Vox and the right wing PP was to force snap elections so they could return to government, as current polls show they could comfortably form a coalition government together.
How fascists operate: Vox posted on X accusing the government of “exploiting an elderly woman’s misery to set up a campaign to cover up its own responsibilities.” The leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, expressed his condolences and asked that no “political campaign” be made out of Maricarmen’s death.
Yet, their stance was completely scandalous when his party in the Senate (Upper House) and in the Madrid city council —where they hold a majority— refused to observe a minute of silence in Maricarmen’s memory, as requested by the Socialists of Pedro Sanchez!
However, the reaction of the public and left-wing organizations is completely different: “It is not a death, it is a murder,” stated Podemos leader Ione Belarra and MEP Irene Montero in a sharp tone. An even stronger message from activists on the streets was “aqui estan los antifascistas” (here are the anti-fascists). The protesters clearly understand the role of the fascists who support big investors and the capitalist system that feeds them!
It is important to remember, though, that according to the barometer of the CIS (Center for Sociological Research), 80% of respondents believe housing should be considered a right and not exclusively a financial product, while 76% support state intervention in the real estate market.
This popular support extends far beyond the broader Left. The housing crisis is not just a Spanish phenomenon; it is international, and the right to housing is a demand being heard all across Europe!
The movement continues. Left-wing activists and the Tenants’ Union (Sindicato de Inquilinos) are demanding an immediate 50% reduction in rents, extension of contracts without increases, an end to evictions, and most importantly, a ban on large investors (Fondos Buitre) buying houses and reselling them at whatever price they like.
A general strike centered on housing has already been declared for November 11th. Evictions kill, capitalism kills, fascists are part of the system! For this reason, changing this rotten system that condemns our lives is imperative. We continue the struggle!
