The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has attacked the Government delegate in the region, Francisco Martín, whom he blames for "cheering on protesters" and for "not protecting the National Police" with the aim of "doing on the street" what "they are not going to achieve at the polls."
Martínez-Almeida made these statements to the media at an event held in Plaza de la Villa, after sources from the Government Delegation confirmed to Europa Press that the police action from last Wednesday during the eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old woman evicted from the home where she had lived for 70 years in the Retiro district, would be reviewed.
The Government Delegation had already distanced itself early that same day from the operation carried out on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda street, emphasizing that the National Police intervened in compliance with the order issued by the judicial commission responsible for executing the eviction. During the operation, there were moments of great tension, with pushes and police charges against the people gathered to try to stop the eviction.
"It is incomprehensible that the Government delegate, the one in charge of maintaining order and security on the streets of Madrid, what he does is cheer on protesters and not protect the National Police in the exercise of their duties, and even more so with a judicial mandate as is the case here," emphasized the Madrid mayor.
Accuses the central Government of targeting Madrid
Almeida argues that from the Madrid institutions "they are used to" the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, "constantly targeting" both the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and himself, despite the fact that, as he has pointed out, "there are many more evictions this year in Catalonia than in Madrid."
"I have never heard him talk about evictions in Catalonia. Why? Because there are first-class evictions, those in Madrid, and second-class evictions. There are evicted people who are worth it to Sánchez and there are evicted people that Sánchez forgets," he stated, insisting that the central Executive applies a double standard.
The mayor has also directed a direct reproach at Sánchez, questioning "what is he president of the Government for" if, after "eight years" in power, "he doesn't even know about the blackout, nor about Ceuta" and, at the same time, with "Maricarmen's eviction he can do nothing."
The City Council defends its action with Maricarmen
Regarding the specific case of this 87-year-old neighbor, the mayor has assured "categorically" that the City Council has contacted Maricarmen after her eviction. As he explained, "teleassistance, occupational therapy, home help, and accommodation offer" have been provided to her, although he preferred to keep "in the confidentiality of what corresponds" the precise details of that conversation.
In this line, he wanted to emphasize the "difference" between the actions of the City Council and those of the central Government: "I want to know what the government of Spain has done for Maricarmen. Because I just said what the City Council of Madrid has done. And what the City Council of Madrid does not do is shed crocodile tears, wash our hands, disengage, and blame others," he concluded.