A disabled, 87-year-old private renter, Maricarmen, was evicted from her flat in Sainz de Baranda Street in Madrid on 23 September. This has set off a chain of events that has turned Spanish politics upside down.
Pedro Sánchez’s government, propped up by a fragile parliamentary majority, was already on the ropes. Its rhetoric of being ‘the most progressive government in history’ did not match the reality of the living conditions of working-class families and, above all, the working-class youth.
Facing hundreds of thousands out on the streets across the country – and thousands camped out in Madrid’s main square, Puerta del Sol – Sánchez resolved to make some mild concessions in order to deactivate the movement, while at the same time restoring the government’s progressive image.
But on 2 October, these decrees failed to pass in parliament – and for many of those on the streets protesting, and the millions who support them, Sánchez’s decrees were too little too late.
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Under the pressure of this mass movement, Sánchez has been forced to call early elections for the end of November and the unions have called for a one-day general strike.
With the parliamentary road shut for now, due to the defeat of the decrees, the ball is now firmly in the court of the mass mobilisations on the streets.
Yesterday, 7 October, Maricarmen died in hospital without ever having been able to return home. In a video to protestors before her death, she said: “I haven’t managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what’s theirs.”
The Communist spoke to Irene, a comrade of Organización Comunista Revolucionaria (OCR), the Spanish section of the Revolutionary Communist International, who has been involved in the ongoing encampment in Madrid.
How has the OCR been involved in the protests in Puerta del Sol?
We set up our tent on the fourth day of the camp in a spot that has proved perfect. We border the central area of the square, so we’re coming across all sorts of people – from those staying at the camp, to those passing by to just have a look and offer help.
We’ve already been interviewed on television. Some branches have started holding their meetings near the square, taking turns at tabling. Our main task here is to talk to people about the revolutionary ideas of Marxism.
What has the mood been like in the square?
The mood is incredible and electric. The encampment is very well organised. The tents were at first randomly placed, but now there is an urban planning department to organise this.
There are points for free food, water and other resources such as batteries, sleeping mats, rope, medicine – everything you could need. Key tasks such as keeping everything clean and defending the square from any provocateur of a far-right or fascist group have been impeccably achieved.
The donation centre is overwhelmed every day, even needing to reject things due to lack of space.
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But none of this surprises us very much. We know the working class is perfectly capable of solving any problem we encounter, given the chance, through our collective knowledge, creativity, and instinct to collaborate and work together.
The mood is also charged with constant political discussion. Our flag with the hammer and sickle is catching everyone’s attention. One-on-one conversations quickly attract a whole audience around our table. We have talked to students as young as 13 who want to fight! And the call for a general strike has become the main chant of the movement.
What are you putting forward as the next steps for the movement?
Our programme is in line with the demands we see both at the encampment and at the mass demonstrations, which have already reached a very advanced level.
We are, like others, calling for the expropriation of private equity firms (also known as vulture funds). But then we go a step further, arguing for the need to build affordable housing through expropriating the banks and construction companies too.
Even though our ideas have connected with everyone we talk to, we are far too small to influence the actual decisions for the way forward. We are more aware than ever of the urgency of building our forces as quickly as possible.
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Do you have anything to say to British revolutionaries inspired by the protests in the Spanish state?
We have been talking about how this event has been kind of a boot camp for revolutionaries. It’s one thing to trust our perspectives for revolution, knowing that protests like this are going to happen inevitably – it’s another to see it so clearly in person!
Mainly I would like to highlight one thing: communism is getting more and more popular. These aren’t just numbers from some survey anymore – the communists are here.
And even the people that don’t define themselves as such are still very open to us – most respond not with “no” but with “not yet!” So get out there, and let’s build the Revolutionary Communist International!
