Maricarmen, evicted Madrid resident, dies in hospital per AP report
- María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old Madrid resident whose wheelchair-bound eviction on September 23, 2026, galvanized nationwide outrage over Spain's housing affordability crisis, died in a hospital on...
- Known widely as Maricarmen, the elderly woman became an international symbol for renters suffering under soaring living costs after television networks broadcast footage of her being carried out...
- The tragedy highlights severe economic pressures across Spain, where average rents have nearly doubled over the past decade according to real estate website Idealista data cited by the...
María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old Madrid resident whose wheelchair-bound eviction on September 23, 2026, galvanized nationwide outrage over Spain’s housing affordability crisis, died in a hospital on October 7, 2026, according to reporting shared by the Associated Press.
Spain Mourns Maricarmen Following Eviction Hospitalization
Known widely as Maricarmen, the elderly woman became an international symbol for renters suffering under soaring living costs after television networks broadcast footage of her being carried out on a stretcher from her home of seven decades. Police cordoned off the street and removed demonstrators during the September 23 operation, forcing her into hospital care due to fragile health. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez led public tributes on X, writing, All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones.
Conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also issued public condolences as demonstrators gathered outside Spain’s Parliament and in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square to hold a minute of silence, chanting slogans reported by the Associated Press. Thousands of people had taken part in protests across Madrid and other cities following the televised images of her removal. Iciar López, a 32-year-old psychologist at the Madrid protest, shared her feelings with the Associated Press, stating, A great deal of sorrow. And above all, the thought that she is the cause, the head of this whole revolution that has happened, and that she can’t see it.
López added, It makes me very sad that she can’t see if anything comes of it … That’s what angers me the most, honestly.
Eugenio Melchor, 22, also spoke at the demonstration, saying, Maricarmen only wanted to die in her home. She wasn’t asking for anything else.
Melchor further stated, She was dying in her home and she almost did. They have killed her. I mean, there’s no other word for it, and I hope those responsible for this pay and go to trial.
Spaniards increasingly frustrated by housing costs periodically march in major cities demanding action from lawmakers.
Housing Crisis Metrics Drive Nationwide Protests
The tragedy highlights severe economic pressures across Spain, where average rents have nearly doubled over the past decade according to real estate website Idealista data cited by the Associated Press. Government statistics indicate that 26 percent of Spanish renters spend an average of 40 percent of their monthly income on rent and utilities, far exceeding the European Union average of 18 percent.
Political Fallout
The political crisis deepened after her eviction. Meanwhile, lawyer Beatriz Duro told Cadena Ser radio that the real estate company responsible for the eviction had ultimately capitulated to immense public pressure, agreeing to let Maricarmen return to her apartment. However, the Madrid Tenants’ Union stated that the historic agreement arrived too late, calling the situation an avoidable tragedy. Duro, who did not disclose the cause of death when confirming it, noted that she and housing activists were devastated, remarking that Maricarmen’s case, which captured media attention and traveled around the world, leaves us the image of the shameful violence of these types of evictions and the impact they can have on people’s health.