Ecuadorians lead struggle against evictions

Ecuadorians lead the demonstrations against house evictions in Spain

Yesterday thousands of Spanish and migrants, mostly Ecuadorians, staged a march in Madrid, organized by the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) under the slogan “Against Financial impunity. Against mortgage fraud. For the right to housing.”

The protesters carried the tricolor banner amid of many posters with a predominant legend: “Trial and punishment for the guilty” and shouting slogans like “It’s not a crisis, it is a scam“, “We have the solution: the bankers to jail.”

Some homeless, or potential candidates to be, others among the demonstrators was Maria Morocho and her daughter Judith, age six, who are about to lose the apartment of 80 square meters they bought in 2006 for 237,000 euros. Since 2010, they do not pay the monthly installments of 1,650 because their income does not exceed 800. They expect to get the pressure needed from the streets demonstrations to sensitize the bankers and granted in lieu of payment (pay off the debt with the delivery of the house).

Ivon Elizalde is also in this struggle. This woman born in Machala, divorced mother of two, loaded with a debt of 160,000 euros. Earn just 200 a month and survives on charity.

Ecuadorians are the protagonists to report that “the primary responsibility for the crisis are on the boards of directors of financial institutions.” That group is the most affected by the “mortgage fraud.” Last year ten day nationals were evicted from their homes.

Aida Quinatoa, president of the National Coordinator of Ecuadorians in Spain (Conadee), reported at the end of the demonstration the conditions under which loans were granted through “chaining systems crossed guarantees with unfair terms and omission of information” and “systematic violation of human rights” which involves the implementation of “massive foreclosures.”