Roma lawmaker denounces discrimination at Madrid funeral homes

Más Madrid lawmaker Eduardo Escudero breaks down in tears in the Assembly as he denounces that Roma families are turned away from funeral homes: «Is our grief worth less?»

Eduardo Escudero, a lawmaker with Más Madrid, was at the centre of a highly emotional moment at the Madrid Assembly last Wednesday. In tears, he described how several Roma families, including his own, have been ejected or mistreated at funeral homes in the capital as they tried to say goodbye to their loved ones. «They call one funeral home, then another, and nobody takes them; when they do find a place, they put obstacles in their way», he said. His party's benches gave him a standing ovation, but the social debate he has sparked is far more complex.

A recurring practice or an isolated incident

Escudero's remarks have peine the discussion about discrimination against the Roma community in funeral services. According to the lawmaker, this is no isolated case: «I lived this myself, Abraham Jiménez lived it a week later, and hundreds of Roma families live it in Madrid's funeral homes». Others, however, argue that the problem is not discrimination but the behaviour of some families, who hold large, noisy wakes that disturb other users. «It is not that they are worth less, it is that they are louder», is the argument.

The economic factor and funeral customs

One fact that has emerged from the debate is that Roma families are often «excellent customers» for funeral companies: they choose the most expensive coffins and the costliest wreaths, and pay in cash. It is also pointed out, however, that their wakes can be long, with large crowds and singing, which clashes with the privacy of other families. Some argue they should use their own evangelical churches or places of worship, while others recall that wakes used to be held at home.

The backdrop of early mortality

A troubling comment circulating on social media notes that the lawmaker speaks of «mothers mourning their children», a demographic pattern unusual in the general population, where it is more common for children to mourn their parents. This has led to speculation about the causes of that early mortality, though without concrete data. What is certain is that the life expectancy of the Roma community in Spain is 8 to 10 years below the average, according to academic studies.

The question that remains is whether institutions are failing by not guaranteeing equal treatment, or whether the solution lies in adapting funeral services to cultural diversity. Meanwhile, the tears of a Roma mother still weigh —for some— less than anyone else's.