A march bearing a banner reading 'On the way to a general strike' is one of more than fifty protests scheduled for the day in various Spanish cities. The goal of these actions is to demand a 50% reduction in rent, the introduction of indefinite lease agreements, and the expropriation of properties owned by predatory funds.
In an interview with journalists, Valeria Raku, a representative of the Tenants' Union, emphasized that the mobilization was inspired by Maricarmen, her courage, and her example. She mentioned that these events 'triggered a chain reaction,' citing an elderly woman from Madrid who was evicted on September 23rd but who, thanks to public pressure, will be able to return home.
Raku noted that 'yesterday we discovered a Congress captured by rent. A Congress completely detached from street reality, completely removed from this public majority, from this consensus that exists in our population that rent capitalism is a cancerous tumor for our society, and that we must put an end to it.'
She warned that there is a 'new energy' felt in the streets, demonstrating that eight days of popular rule can achieve much more than 'eight years of progressive government.'
The director stated: 'What happened in Sole, what happened in the streets, what happened in many squares last week proves that power is returning to the streets.' She also issued a warning: 'Whoever rules, we will not tolerate another four years without fighting the biggest problem in this country.'
The union representative stressed that 'real politics' is now beginning, which has always belonged to the people and is returning to the streets. To solve the housing problem, they want to use the historical tool that labor has always used—a general strike.