An hilarious exchange was captured between a journalist and a communist who took part in a mass protest in Madrid over Spain’s housing crisis, which is increasingly becoming a scourge affecting thousands of people across the Iberian country.

In the video, the interviewee admits during the conversation that he owns two flats, one of which he rents to…illegal immigrants from Sudan.

The communist even manages to drive the journalist to exasperation when the discussion takes an endless turn over whether a communist can ultimately be a property owner, with the man attempting to develop the familiar narrative about ruthless capital, eventually saying that he is a communist property owner living in…a capitalist country.

“If a communist government asks me to give it up, I will,” he says, effectively passing the buck, while the journalist appears to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

In the video that has gone viral, the moment the journalist approaches the man and the surreal conversation begins.

@radiopoina Τελικά εκαταλαβε τζαι ο ίδιος ότι εν μπορεί να είναι κομμουνιστής😅 #fyp #fy #κυπρος #ισπανια #κομμουνισμος ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – radiopoina

Journalist: Are you a communist?
Man: I’m a communist.
Journalist: How many flats do you have?
Man: I have two and I rent one out.
Journalist: Wait a minute, you’re a communist and you have two flats?
Man: Yes.
Journalist: Okay… And how does that work? You can’t have two flats.
Man: Well, I live in a capitalist country…
Journalist: So?
Man: You can take it however you want, but if I lived in a communist country… If Spain becomes communist tomorrow and they tell me, “We’ll give your flat to someone so that we can all have one,” I’ll be the first to give it up, and gladly.
Journalist: But for now you rent out your flat, right? And under what conditions do you rent it out?
Man: It’s a special arrangement because an organisation called me about Sudanese refugees. Nobody wanted to rent them a flat. And they told me: “Can you rent rooms to these people?”
Journalist: Just so we understand this properly… You’re a communist and you rent out your flat, you rent out rooms?
Man: Yes, I make money, I use it to pay the mortgage and I make a little extra money.
Journalist: (Laughs)… So, you’re a communist, you have several flats, you rent out rooms, but your friends say you can’t do that.
Man: That’s what I wanted to ask them…
Journalist: No, I want to ask you, because you’re a communist, I’m asking you!
Man: What are you asking me?
Journalist: How is it possible for you to have several flats and rent out rooms when you criticise this?
Man: I don’t criticise that, no.
Journalist: That’s what these people here are saying…
Man: Well, I don’t criticise that, but I criticise those vulture-like capitals…
Journalist: So you’re one of those capitals too… You have several flats, you rent out rooms, you’re part of what your friends criticise.
Man: (Loses his words) I… I’m not part of that, I’m not speculative capital, predatory capital…
Journalist: You’re someone who rents out… You communists are opposed to this and you rent out, right?
Man: Yes.
Journalist: If they told you to stop renting it out so that you can make money to pay your mortgage, would you do it?
Man: If everyone had a home.
Journalist: The question is clear. You say you have a flat and rent out the rooms. Are you, as a communist, willing to give this home to someone who needs it?
Man: I would have done it already…
Journalist: You would have done it, but you’ve never done it.
Man: So, I’m not willing… That question answers itself, doesn’t it? What cheek… Of course it crossed my mind.
Journalist: So you want the rest of us to give up our homes, but not yours, right?
Man: Not the rest, but those who…
Journalist: Give me a clear answer… You’re a communist, you’re against property owners, but you’re a property owner yourself. What’s the contradiction? You’re a property owner while you’re a communist.
Man: The contradiction is simple… I’m a communist living in a capitalist country.

At this point, the exasperated journalist interrupts the interview and swears at his interviewee: “Go to hell!” he says, looking at the camera, before they eventually continue.

Journalist: I think what we’re seeing is a contradiction: being a communist and renting out rooms because your friends are against it. What we’re discussing now is extraordinary.
Man: But they are communists.
Journalist: These people here (ed.: pointing to those gathered) aren’t communists?
Man: No, I don’t think so…
Journalist: What are they? Franco supporters?
Man: I don’t know, but I don’t think they’re communists.
Journalist: They’re not communists?
Man: No, not all of them, at least I don’t think all of them…
Journalist: And what are they?
Man: Let’s ask them and see.

As they head towards the crowd, an elderly woman intervenes and gives the communist a pointed response, saying that these people “may not be communists, but they are people fighting for everyone’s rights”.