Robregordo: the Madrid village with a Colombian mayor where nobody is a local anymore
Robregordo, a village near Madrid led by a Colombian mayor, is emptying out as housing grows scarce. A look at Spain's depopulated countryside and the migrant vote.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Robregordo: the Madrid village emptying out while its Colombian mayor tries to repopulate it
In Robregordo, a village in the Sierra Norte north of Madrid at 1,400 metres above sea level, the silence of Calle Real is broken only by a wasp crawling along. Antonio Casanova, 80, finds his greatest entertainment in watching an insect. This is the scene described by El País in a report on the village, governed by a Colombian woman elected thanks to the migrant vote, where the few remaining residents are all outsiders.
The repopulation paradox: shuttered homes and no rentals at all
The mayor, Herreño, took office in 2023 without being known in the village and while living in Getafe. Her victory would not have been possible without the migrant vote. Yet the reality is that the village centre is deserted: locals prefer to keep their houses locked up rather than rent to outsiders. "It's almost impossible to find anything," says the mayor. Meanwhile, Madrid's price pressure is pushing workers out to towns like Seseña, which is reviving thanks to the 40-minute drive to the capital. Robregordo, however, remains condemned to silence.
Macondo in rural Spain?
Literary comparisons abound: some see a magical-realist Macondo, others a ghostly Comala. The irony is that the village, far from being revitalised, has become a theme park for neo-hippies and repopulation officials. Even a young Segarro who runs a business there prefers not to talk about his income. "Getting by," he says, which some interpret as a cover for drug dealing. But beyond the speculation, the figure is clear: with an average age of 80 among the few natives left, Robregordo's future hangs by a thread.
The question left hanging is whether Robregordo will end up as a theme park for neo-hippies or as a new Seseña, where those priced out of Madrid look for an affordable home. For now, only the wasp seems to be enjoying the scenery.
Related discussions in the forum
In Robregordo, a village in the Sierra Norte north of Madrid at 1,400 metres above sea level, the silence of Calle Real is broken only by a wasp crawling along. Antonio Casanova, 80, finds his greatest entertainment in watching an insect. This is the scene described by El País in a report on the village, governed by a Colombian woman elected thanks to the migrant vote, where the few remaining residents are all outsiders.
The repopulation paradox: shuttered homes and no rentals at all
The mayor, Herreño, took office in 2023 without being known in the village and while living in Getafe. Her victory would not have been possible without the migrant vote. Yet the reality is that the village centre is deserted: locals prefer to keep their houses locked up rather than rent to outsiders. "It's almost impossible to find anything," says the mayor. Meanwhile, Madrid's price pressure is pushing workers out to towns like Seseña, which is reviving thanks to the 40-minute drive to the capital. Robregordo, however, remains condemned to silence.
Macondo in rural Spain?
Literary comparisons abound: some see a magical-realist Macondo, others a ghostly Comala. The irony is that the village, far from being revitalised, has become a theme park for neo-hippies and repopulation officials. Even a young Segarro who runs a business there prefers not to talk about his income. "Getting by," he says, which some interpret as a cover for drug dealing. But beyond the speculation, the figure is clear: with an average age of 80 among the few natives left, Robregordo's future hangs by a thread.
The question left hanging is whether Robregordo will end up as a theme park for neo-hippies or as a new Seseña, where those priced out of Madrid look for an affordable home. For now, only the wasp seems to be enjoying the scenery.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (20 replies).
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