Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, has maintained a deliberate silence throughout the week regarding the real estate operation involving her government’s ownership of an apartment in Chamberí, despite ongoing legal proceedings against the deal. The controversy surrounding the property has been growing, with allegations already under review by a court in Madrid, which will decide in the coming weeks whether to accept the legal actions filed against the transaction. Since last week, Ayuso has avoided answering questions from the media during public appearances, choosing instead to focus on other matters while maintaining a low profile. On Monday, August 10, the official schedule of the Community of Madrid listed only one event: the visit by Carlos Novillo, the regional minister for Environment, Agriculture, and Interior, to the town of Villa del Prado to assess damage caused by wildfires to agricultural land. However, Ayuso made an appearance, speaking for seven minutes without fielding any questions from reporters. Nearly half of her speech was dedicated to announcing aid for affected farmers in the area, while the remainder focused on the crisis in Ceuta. She criticized the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, for failing to protect national borders and for implementing an immigration policy she described as "uncontrolled." She also addressed concerns over the treatment of Italians following the implementation of identity checks for travelers, similar to policies used by Italy's far-right government. On Tuesday, August 11, the official agenda again featured only Novillo, who visited the sanitation facilities of the Canal de Isabel II in the neighborhood of Los Cortijos in Sevilla la Nueva. Ayuso did not appear publicly on this day. On Wednesday, August 12, the day of the solar eclipse, Ayuso took to Twitter to respond to a video shared by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explaining how to view the astronomical phenomenon safely. In her response, she criticized Sánchez for downplaying the risks of looking directly at the sun without proper eye protection, calling him a danger to others due to his lack of warning. That day’s official event involved the director of the Madrid 112 Emergency Services Agency, Pedro Ruiz, who inspected safety measures for the eclipse observation. On Thursday, August 13, the official agenda once more centered around Novillo, who visited the nursery of the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IMIDRA) in El Escorial. Ayuso appeared briefly through a video message to announce plans to revise legislation banning Arizona-style fences and allocating one million euros for their removal. Later that afternoon, she continued her criticism of the central government on social media, accusing Sánchez and his family of enjoying life while using public resources. Meanwhile, right-wing media have focused attention on Ayuso’s signature outfit, referring to it as her "fetish dress," while social media users responded with comments highlighting the scandal surrounding the Chamberí apartment. These discussions suggest that public sentiment is increasingly critical of Ayuso’s handling of the situation. In a separate development, the construction of the City of Justice in Valdebebas continues to progress rapidly. This ambitious project involves the largest public administration work in Europe, requiring the coordination of 19 cranes operating simultaneously within the site. The infrastructure includes a multi-level foundation and features such as the central agora, comparable in size to Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, and the new Supreme Court building. Engineers have implemented strict protocols to ensure safe operations, including communication via walkie-talkies among technical staff managing the massive cranes, some of which can lift up to 10 tons and reach heights exceeding 68 meters. The scale of the project is unprecedented in Spain, surpassing even the construction of the Four Towers, the tallest buildings in the country, which required two cranes per tower. The City of Justice, spanning nearly 470,000 square meters, aims to consolidate 26 judicial offices in Madrid by 2030, accommodating over 30,000 daily visitors. The total investment exceeds 650 million euros, with recent budgets focusing heavily on the initial phase of the project. Safety considerations have been paramount, particularly given the proximity to Madrid-Barajas Airport, leading to detailed assessments and approvals from the National Airspace Security Agency.
★
Keep the news honest.
ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.
Become a Supporter
Spain
