Carlos Mazón, president of Spain’s Valencia region, has resigned following extensive criticism of his response to catastrophic flash floods in October 2024 that resulted in 229 fatalities in Valencia and eight deaths in neighboring regions. This incident is regarded as one of Spain’s most devastating natural disasters in decades.
Concerns were raised about Mazón’s behavior during the crisis, particularly as he reportedly spent nearly four hours dining with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, while failing to attend emergency meetings on the day of the disaster. Additionally, alerts warning residents about the floods were not sent until after 8 p.m., by which time many lives had already been lost. In his resignation statement, Mazón acknowledged making mistakes and expressed regret, stating he should have prioritized managing the crisis over his planned schedule.
Public sentiment towards Mazón had turned negative, with polls indicating a significant majority in Valencia wanted him to step down due to his flood management. Monthly protests demanding his resignation culminated in a large demonstration on October 25, where around 50,000 people participated. His attendance at a memorial service for victims on the tragedy’s anniversary reportedly led to further unrest, as family members voiced their anger towards him during the event.
Mazón announced his resignation on the same day that Vilaplana testified in an ongoing investigation into possible negligence related to the floods. Reports from Spanish media indicate she mentioned that Mazón had been preoccupied with his phone during their lunch. Despite his resignation, Mazón will remain a member of the regional parliament, which offers him immunity from prosecution.
His departure poses challenges for the conservative People’s Party (PP), particularly regarding the selection of his successor, considering their reliance on the far-right Vox party for parliamentary support in the region. Mazón also criticized the central government led by Pedro Sánchez, alleging that it obstructed aid to Valencia to politically damage the PP.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr43d5yz3xxo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss