The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños, has stated that the eviction of Maricarmen and "not being able to protect her" constitutes "a failure of the system," which he places on the decision of PP, Vox, and Junts to prevent the approval in April in Congress of the anti-eviction shield.
"Undoubtedly, it has been a failure of the system not to be able to protect this lady, that she could not be kept in her home," the minister explained in an interview on 'La Mañana de La 1' of 'TVE', reported by Europa Press.
Bolaños emphasized that the Executive has been approving "anti-eviction shields since the pandemic" to "avoid this type of circumstance" like those experienced by Maricarmen, who passed away this Wednesday at the age of 87 and whose eviction has driven the housing camp at Puerta del Sol in Madrid.
However, he recalled that "in April of this year, the shield could not be approved" due to the lack of a sufficient majority in the Lower House, when "the right-wing parties rejected it with arguments that today seem ridiculous to hear." "Therefore, there has been a situation in which cases like Maricarmen's could occur," he pointed out.
The minister admitted that the wave of protests in recent weeks has shown that administrations "have to do" and stressed that "it is not being left to the Government of Spain."
"We cannot be proud"
Likewise, Bolaños reiterated that the Executive has tried to push forward these housing decrees "throughout this year" and that a draft of the decree law was already brought "in July."
In any case, he insisted that "more has to be done" and that the Government must be "self-critical" because "the objective with Maricarmen has not been achieved."
"As public officials, we cannot be proud of a country where a sick 87-year-old lady, with a high degree of disability, can be evicted and left on the street," stated the Justice Minister, who emphasized that this is a matter of "pure humanity" to which the Executive feels "very challenged."
Regarding the protests that continue in numerous places across the country despite the approval of the decrees in the Council of Ministers, Bolaños pointed out that housing has already become "a social cause."