A man¡¯s desperate bid to evict squatter granddaughter from his Madrid home

It happened three weeks ago. Eighty-seven-year-old Madrile?o Vicente Moreda was in Cartagena, Murcia, when he got a phone call from the residents¡¯ association in his building, located at 112 Atocha street in Madrid.

¡°Vicente,¡± the voice said, ¡°one of your relatives just went into your house with another girl and a locksmith.¡±

That relative turned out to be his granddaughter, with whom he has had no relationship for the last year or so. ¡°I¡¯m completely devastated,¡± he explains over the phone. ¡°For this to happen to me at the age of 87 and with all this fuss¡­¡±

I have had no news from my granddaughter since she threatened me with a knife a year ago

Vicente Moreda

Moreda has not been able to speak to his granddaughter, Paula, who is 18 years old. ¡°I have had no news from her since she threatened me with a knife a year ago in Cartagena. I don¡¯t understand it. She got mixed up in drugs and all that and now¡­¡±

Amelia M., 51, is Paula¡¯s mother. ¡°My father came to Cartagena two years ago because he wasn¡¯t well. He was in hospital for a month. What¡¯s more, my mother is in a home because she has very severe Alzheimers.¡± When her father told her that Paula had entered the house with a friend, they went straight to the closest police station in Cartagena.

¡°We gave the details of the girl and it turns out that we shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Amelia explains. ¡°I said that it was my daughter and that it was a forced entry. They told me that they would evict her in 48 hours, but now they have told me that there will be a delay because it¡¯s a family member, and we will have to take it to the courts.¡±

Since regional TV channel Telemadrid broadcast a segment about the case earlier this week, Amelia¡¯s phone has not stopped ringing. ¡°One second,¡± she says over the phone. ¡°I have to speak on [daytime TV show] Ana Rosa and I have a call on my other cellphone.¡± Now talking on the other call, she says: ¡°Yes, yes, the apartment is in Madrid at 112 Atocha street. OK. OK. Yes, it appears that there¡¯s a minor in there, but it¡¯s not hers. She¡¯s being advised by her partner¡¯s family, who are very sharp. They also have three cats. They¡¯ve changed the locks and they¡¯ve installed an alarm. Yes, yes, a neighbor saw it happen and the residents¡¯ association called us. I have to go now. Goodbye.¡± When she hangs up, she explains her strategy. ¡°The company Desokupa told me that I should respond to all media inquiries, in case she gives in, but I don¡¯t think she will.¡±

Amelia got in touch with Desokupa ¨C a company that helps people get their properties back if someone has squatted in them ¨C several days ago. In the Telemadrid segment, one of its employees is seen trying to negotiate with Paula from outside the door. ¡°Can you open the door please? Your grandfather is here.¡± No one responds. ¡°I have to get in, please open up,¡± her grandfather says through the door. ¡°Paula, why did you come up with this idea?¡±

When she was young she was already showing what was to come

Paula¡¯s mother, Amelia

According to her mother, Paula was in a center for minors. That was the last she had heard from her. And when she turned 18, she left. ¡°When she was young she was already showing what was to come,¡± her mother explains. ¡°She is the middle child and has two brothers. The other two are studying, and they knew that this could happen. My ex-husband came with her to Madrid, and in theory, he was with her. Until now,¡± she explains. ¡°Her brothers know what she is like. A lot of the problems that I had with my ex-husband were due to her. How can I get her out of there, how do I do it?¡±

Vicente bought the flat six years ago. ¡°I¡¯ve worked in imports my whole life,¡± he explains. ¡°I¡¯ve got a number of properties and I live off the rental income and a €470 pension. I lived in the flat with my wife ¨C who is Paula¡¯s godmother ¨C until she started to have problems with her head. That¡¯s why I go to Cartagena on a regular basis, because I want to be close to her, she¡¯s in a home.¡±

On Tuesday of this week, a number of journalists and TV cameramen were jostling with each other outside 112 Atocha street. Paula, however, would not answer the intercom. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die without having sorted this out,¡± says Vicente. ¡°Please just stop this craziness. I don¡¯t want to see my granddaughter in jail. I have always loved her loads and I used to take her to the park when she was little.¡±