Madrid Times

España Viva: Your Window to Madrid and Beyond
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Tensions Rise in Madrid Over Claims of Pandemic Management and Legal Repercussions

Tensions Rise in Madrid Over Claims of Pandemic Management and Legal Repercussions

Political conflict escalates in Madrid following controversial remarks about nursing home deaths during the pandemic.
The political landscape in Madrid has become increasingly tense as the five-year anniversary of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic approaches, fueled by remarks made by Reyes Maroto, the Socialist Party (PSOE) spokesperson in the Madrid City Council.

Maroto stated that '7,298 elderly people were murdered' in nursing homes due to a protocol established under the leadership of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Madrid Community, which allegedly restricted hospital admissions for these individuals.

In response, the ruling party, the People's Party (PP), announced intentions to file a lawsuit against Maroto for 'imputing the murder of elderly people.' Legal actions are currently being prepared by the legal services of the Community of Madrid.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso's government has vehemently rejected Maroto's accusations, describing them as unfounded and offensive.

Madrid's mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, declared a complete breakdown of institutional relations with the PSOE, branding Maroto's comments as 'unacceptable, nauseating, and indecent.' The mayor's strong condemnation emphasizes the seriousness with which the remarks were treated by the local government.

Following these developments, Maroto issued a statement to clarify her initial comments, acknowledging that her choice of words was inappropriate.

She asserted that her intention was not to accuse anyone of murder, but rather to highlight the lack of adequate medical treatment available to deceased individuals in Madrid's nursing homes.

In addition to these events, the PP has severed ties with the Government Delegate in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, based on his accusations against the Ayuso government.

The secretary general of the Madrid PP, Alfonso Serrano, communicated in a letter that all representatives would now limit their interactions with the Government Delegation to necessary technical levels only.

This political clash occurred against the backdrop of ongoing tensions related to the management of the pandemic in Madrid, where leaders have frequently exchanged barbs regarding their respective responsibilities.

Martín previously stated that '7,291 elderly were subjected to a cruel and undignified death,' labeling Madrid as the region with the highest excess mortality during the pandemic.

Ayuso described Martín's comments as exceeding 'unacceptable limits' while she was on an official visit in London, underscoring the severity of the ongoing political discord.

Separately, Ayuso has also addressed concerns regarding the upcoming Dos de Mayo celebrations, marking Madrid's Community Day.

She claimed that the national government intends to prohibit the traditional military parade held during the festivities.

According to information from the Community of Madrid, the Ministry of Defense communicated that the Armed Forces would not participate in the parade, citing the minister's travel schedule as the reason.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
UK Scientists Launch Synthetic Human Genome Project with £10 Million Funding
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Announces Re-Election Bid Amid Corruption Investigations
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
×