Joaquín Prat apologizes after panelist Aldo Comas mocks eviction victim Paca Blanco on Spanish television

Tension during live housing coverage

On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, Spanish broadcaster Telecinco covered the housing encampment at Madrid's Puerta del Sol during its daytime programme El tiempo justo. Reporter Carlos Garayoa conducted live interviews from the square with activists demonstrating for affordable housing. Demonstrator Pepe, who traveled from Alcázar de San Juan, told the programme that the gathering could serve as an important starting point for broader change. Studio panelist Aldo Comas interrupted the conversation from the set, dismissing the encampment as a refugee camp of people playing drums and stating that he refused to demonstrate for housing rights. When Pepe questioned the panelist's tone and asked for mutual respect, Comas stated that he was simply blunt, linked the protest to political parties, and accused demonstrators of having remained quiet for eight years.

“I do not think you are creating the seed of anything other than herpes.”

Confrontation with eviction target Paca Blanco

The live broadcast shifted to 77-year-old Paca Blanco, the president of the association Las Olvidadas, who is scheduled to be evicted on 30 November 2026. Blanco expressed anxiety over losing her home and addressed a relocation proposal placing her in a care home managed by religious orders. Blanco is a survivor of the Franco-era Patronato de Protección a la Mujer, an institution that operated between 1941 and 1985, and explained that past mistreatment meant she did not even want to see the nuns again. Comas responded by deriding her refusal on air, describing the religious alternative as divine justice and telling her to spend time with the nuns. Host Joaquín Prat attempted to intervene by reminding Comas that Blanco refused religious housing, but Comas repeated his remarks. Blanco ended the interview immediately, removed her earpiece, and walked away from the live camera link.

“Let us see, if I am going to serve as the butt of jokes, you can fuck off and wear a checkered cap.”

Host apology during studio debate

On Wednesday, 30 September 2026, El tiempo justo revisited the housing crisis while examining encampments spreading to multiple Spanish cities following the Puerta del Sol protest. The studio panel included Ruth Galán, a representative from the Tenants Union (Sindicato de Inquilinas), and journalist María Jamardo. Before opening the scheduled debate, Prat halted the broadcast rundown to address the camera directly regarding the incident from the previous day. The presenter offered his public apologies to Blanco for the panelist's behavior, taking responsibility in his capacity as the programme's anchor. Following the statement, the broadcast continued its regular schedule and returned to discussing the nationwide housing demonstrations.

“I want to apologize to Paca. I send Paca my sincere apologies for the part that falls to me, as host of this program. Sincere apologies.”