Iconic Spanish Pensioner at Center of Eviction Protests Passes Away

WHO:

BBC News - Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Spanish pensioner.

CNN - Madrid Tenants’ Union announced her death.

CNN - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

WHAT:

BBC News - Maricarmen Abascal was forcibly removed from her apartment.

CNN - Maricarmen Abascal died two weeks after her eviction.

CNN - Her rent increased from €500 ($560) to €2,650 ($2,970).

CNN - A historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, but it came too late.

CNN - Her eviction sparked nationwide protests over Spain’s housing crisis.

WHERE:

BBC News - Madrid, Spain.

WHEN:

BBC News - Maricarmen Abascal was evicted on September 23.

CNN - The Madrid Tenants’ Union announced her death on a Tuesday.

WHY:

CNN - Her eviction was part of a broader housing crisis in Spain.

HOW:

BBC News - She was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years.

(UPDATED October 7, 2026 22:04 UTC)

Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Spanish pensioner, has died two weeks after being forcibly evicted from her home in Madrid, a move that has ignited nationwide protests over Spain's ongoing housing crisis. Her rent had skyrocketed from €500 to €2,650, and while a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return, it unfortunately came too late. The Madrid Tenants’ Union announced her death, highlighting the tragic circumstances surrounding her eviction on September 23.