Carlos Bardem joined protesters at Puerta del Sol, demanding Spain act now to stop evictions like that of 87-year-old Maricarmen. He says the country must defend its elderly and working class before the housing crisis gets worse.
Carlos Bardem stepped into Puerta del Sol and went straight to the point. He faced the crowd and called for people across Spain to rise up. He said the housing crisis has gone too far. His words were sharp: “The more of us here, the harder it will be to evict people in the dead of night.”
Maricarmen’s eviction set this off. She is 87. She lost her home. Her story has become a flashpoint. Bardem says this problem has been ignored for too long. Reuters reported that Maricarmen had lived on Sainz de Baranda street since 1956. Social services took her out on a stretcher after several failed eviction attempts. Hundreds protested outside her door for days, but it was not enough. Bardem spoke live on laSexta Xplica. “This is just the beginning,” he warned. He believes Spain is close to a social explosion. “It was only a matter of time before people said enough.”
The eviction of Maricarmen was at least the fourth attempt, with police using force to disperse hundreds of activists gathered at the scene.
Now, hundreds have set up camp in central Madrid. Puerta del Sol has turned into a protest site against evictions. Bardem’s visit gave the camp new energy. He linked Maricarmen’s case to others—like Paquita and Alejandro—who also face losing their homes. Bardem does not see these as one-off tragedies. He sees a bigger failure. “We are a failed society if we cannot protect our elderly, our women, our children, and our working class.”
He compared the current protest to the 15M movement. Bardem said this fight cannot stay in Madrid. “This reminds me so much of 15M,” he said. “We need to take to the streets, take the squares, and say enough—this is unsustainable.”
The protest comes as anger grows across Spain. Thousands have joined marches in Madrid and other cities since Maricarmen’s eviction. The New York Times reports that housing is now a top political issue. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the crisis a "tragedy". He said Maricarmen’s case shows the wider struggle for affordable homes. Bardem says the pressure must not let up. He warns against a society “subjugated to the profit of a few, to a rentier, extractive economy that forces people to struggle just to rent a tiny room or a flat.”
After Maricarmen’s eviction, tenant unions and activists announced a new demonstration in Madrid for September 26, 2026, under the slogan 'Never another Maricarmen.' The event is organized by La Unión de Inquilinas and aims to pressure lawmakers to extend protections for vulnerable tenants, as reported by Democracy/Demócrata.
Bardem also pointed to two recent events. One is the controversy over Madrid regional leader Ayuso’s penthouse. The other is Maricarmen’s eviction. “Two powerful symbols,” Bardem said, “the penthouse of the woman who governs Madrid, and the eviction of an 87-year-old woman.”
He ended with a nod to Federico García Lorca. “He asked for bread, but also for roses. We need a home where we can eat our bread, and a home where we can place our roses.”
This protest at Sol is not a one-off. It shows growing frustration with the system. Recent Spanish protests have seen similar energy, as reported earlier. This time, the focus is clear: the right to housing. Protesters demand that Spain’s most vulnerable are not left behind for profit.
Spain’s housing crisis has reached a breaking point. Symbolic gestures are not enough. Bardem’s call is a warning. The country’s social contract is under pressure. If the government does not act to protect those at risk, the anger at Puerta del Sol could spread far beyond Madrid. The time for half-measures is over. Dignity and security in housing are now at the center of Spain’s public debate.
