Maria Moreira Rato

I’m a Portuguese freelance journalist and investigative reporter working on a feature about María del Carmen Abascal Martín, known as Maricarmen, the 87-year-old Spanish woman whose eviction from her Madrid home in September 2026 sparked widespread protests over housing insecurity and tenants’ rights. After living in the same apartment for approximately seven decades, Maricarmen was evicted on September 23, following a prolonged legal dispute over her tenancy and housing costs. She remained hospitalized after the eviction and died on October 7, before she could return to her home despite a reported agreement that would have allowed her to stay. I’m looking to go beyond the headlines to understand Maricarmen’s personal struggle, the obstacles she faced, the legal and economic circumstances surrounding her eviction, and the wider social implications of her story. I’m seeking: - Housing policy researchers and academics specializing in Spain’s rental market, evictions and housing insecurity; - Spanish tenancy lawyers and legal experts familiar with eviction proceedings and tenants’ rights; - Representatives of tenants’ unions and housing rights organizations, particularly those familiar with Maricarmen’s case; - Researchers specializing in older adults, poverty, housing insecurity and social vulnerability; - Journalists who have covered Maricarmen’s case and can provide context or identify relevant firsthand sources; - Neighbors, community members and other individuals with direct knowledge of Maricarmen’s life and her fight to remain in her home. I would particularly welcome insights into: 1. The legal and financial circumstances that led to Maricarmen’s eviction and the options available to her; 2. The obstacles she encountered throughout her prolonged struggle to remain in her home; 3. The effects of housing insecurity and forced displacement on older people, particularly those with limited incomes or mobility; 4. The circumstances surrounding her hospitalization and death, based on documented evidence or direct knowledge; 5. How her case became a focal point for Spain’s housing movement and what it reveals about the country’s housing policies; 6. What lasting changes, if any, could emerge from the public mobilization around her case. Thank you!