“Not one more Maricarmen”

Maricarmen's eviction, a woman of 87 years with a 50 % disability and reduced mobility, It was the straw that broke the camel's back of fed up with the housing situation. In Madrid, Thousands of people participated in the massive demonstration called on Saturday 26 by the Madrid Tenants Union under the motto "Not one more Maricarmen" and remain camped in Puerta del Sol as a continuation of the claim.

By Santi Gonzalez

Mass demonstration and camping

Thousands of people marched through the center of the capital to protest the eviction of Maricarmen and due to the emergency situation in which housing is found in the country. But it was not just another demonstration., continued on Saturday night with a camping trip in Puerta del Sol. In memory appears the beginning of the Indignados Movement of 2011¹.

The union has communicated that the measure will continue as long as the “Maricarmen Decree” is not approved., which is a package of measures among which are indefinite rental contracts or those with automatic renewal, the freezing of rents and greater protection against evictions without housing alternatives. They also demand that seasonal and room rentals be regulated.. Measures that would stop evictions like the one suffered by Maricarmen.

This decree proposed by the union lays the foundations for what society is demanding. Meanwhile, the government of Pedro Sánchez has its own decree and is acting “against the clock” so that it is ready and approved by the council of ministers on Tuesday.. These next few hours until Tuesday will be decisive to continue the pressure on the Executive, that he had 8 years of government to propose measures to address this housing crisis and it did not do so. Instead, It was limited to isolated measures that did not change the equation and today we find that housing stopped being a universal right and became an asset with which large holders can speculate..

It will be necessary to see how good the ears were that they lent to the mobilization that was present these days throughout the territory of the Spanish State and they do not propose cosmetic measures again..

Mobilization leads the way

It is clear that social mobilization and a plan of struggle is what is needed for the political class to move.. In Madrid on Saturday they demonstrated near 300.000 people, making it clear that there is strength to fight for everything.  That is why it is crucial to deepen and articulate the struggles with other sectors and, as the tenants' union does very well, to call for the union centers to call a general strike.. It is unthinkable that with the deterioration of the quality of life and the definancing that is being done to health and public education, the union centers continue with such a passive role..

That's why camping is a necessity and a success., because it puts those who govern against the ropes, but also to those who should be putting pressure on the government. Otherwise, it is leaving the streets to Vox and the PP so that they continue to flood public opinion with hatred and racism.. But thanks to the struggle and mobilization, since wednesday, The agenda is marked by the struggle of the tenants who show that they will have to listen or step aside..

You have to go for everything

The “Maricarmen Decree” is the basis proposed by the tenants' union as emergency measures to overcome the deplorable situation in which those of us who live renting find ourselves.. But it is important that it does not stop there and move towards measures that cut the relationship that vulture funds have with housing today.. Which is ultimately what makes our neighborhoods more expensive and leaves empty apartments and people on the streets..

We must move forward in the expropriation of homes in the position of commercial companies and put them at the service of the public park, with affordable rents. The prohibition of the purchase of homes by these business groups and a public housing construction plan to alleviate the housing deficit that the working class has today. These are some background measures that, although they do not demand a break with capitalism, apparently they are too much for the socialism of the PSOE.

Housing is a right, not a business

Plaza del Sol must be transformed into a center of solidarity, claim and coordination of the fight for housing and with it for health and public education; together with the working people of the entire Spanish State, on the path to forming a Great Movement for the Right to Housing, national and continental. Let's replicate the demonstration and camping throughout the State!!

The social housing problem is caused by real estate speculation, vulture funds, the thirst for capitalist profit and the complicity of governments that crosses all of Europe. As such, we must respond with the broadest unity of action in the streets and a deep exit.: break this capitalist system, because continuing to put patches on it doesn't change anything and we want to turn everything around, with a different system, fairer for the vast majority, that can only come from the hand of socialism.