Migrants in Spain Struggle to Save Their Homes

Madrid. - Migrant about to lose her home

In Madrid, Spain, the created Platform for Mortgage Affected has become the space for immigrants living in Spain delay or prevent the creditor banks will take away their homes created.

According to the National Secretariat for Migrants (Senami for its Spanish acronym), around 15,000 Ecuadorians have difficulty paying their mortgages. Of these, 8,000 are facing evictions. In 2011, 1,500 people attended the Senami to seek help for this matter.

This difference is marked by the economic crisis in Spain, endorsed in sectors like construction, which was important to accommodate immigrants, especially Ecuador.

Platform members meet once a week for massive visits to bank branches to submit requests for forgiveness of the debt.

The evictions of those who can not pay their mortgage almost doubled to 50,000 last year in Spain, from 27,000 in 2008, as unemployment grew to 23% by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Aminta Buenaño, Ambassador of Ecuador in Spain said “They gave too much hope. It was a seduction, a chase, they were duped. “

 (BG)