Ayuso Brushes Off Madrid Penthouse Row as Property Goes on Sale
- Ayuso told reporters the controversial luxury penthouse purchased by the Community of Madrid in April is now for sale, declining to address further questions on the matter.
- The property — a Chamberí penthouse with nearly 200 square metres of terrace at Paseo del General Martínez Campos — was acquired through Planifica Madrid, a company unknown to the
- Ayuso's dismissal leaves unresolved questions about the circumstances of the purchase and the role of Planifica Madrid, with Madrid regional elections scheduled for 2027.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, has moved to shut down questions over the regional government's purchase of a luxury penthouse in the capital, declaring bluntly that the property is now for sale and offering no further elaboration. "It's for sale, end of story — there really isn't much more that can be done," she told reporters on Monday during a visit to the Virgen de la Nueva recreational area at the San Juan reservoir in San Martín de Valdeiglesias, a zone badly affected by wildfires in the Sierra Oeste this summer.
A Purchase That Became a Political Liability
The Community of Madrid acquired the penthouse — located at number 35, Paseo del General Martínez Campos in the Chamberí district — in April, with the property described at the time as a temporary office for the regional president. The flat, which features nearly 200 square metres of terrace, was largely unknown to the public until details of the acquisition emerged in late July, at which point the name of the purchasing vehicle, Planifica Madrid, also came under scrutiny. The company had been obscure to most observers before the transaction was disclosed.
Dismissal Rather Than Defence
Ayuso's remarks on Monday amounted to a studied refusal to engage with the substance of the controversy rather than a rebuttal of any specific allegation. Her decision to confirm only that the property has been put up for sale — without addressing the circumstances of its acquisition or the role of Planifica Madrid — leaves several questions unresolved. It also signals that the regional government considers further public justification either unnecessary or counterproductive, particularly with regional elections due in 2027.
The penthouse affair has proven a persistent irritant for Ayuso and her Partido Popular administration at a delicate political moment. Questions over the Madrid penthouse deal have continued to deepen since the purchase first came to light, and Monday's terse dismissal is unlikely to extinguish them entirely.
