The president of Spain's Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, has resigned after months of pressure over his handling of flash floods last year. A total of 229 people died in towns in the Valencia region on 29 October 2024, with a further eight dying in neighbouring regions, making it Spain's worst natural disaster for decades. Many in Valencia held Mazón accountable for the scale of the tragedy due to his government’s lack of timely response that day.
Reports surfaced that Mazón spent nearly four hours at a restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana while floodwaters devastated the region, failing to attend critical emergency meetings. His government did not issue an emergency alert to residents until after 20:00, by which time numerous lives had already been lost.
I can't go on anymore... I know that I made mistakes, I acknowledge it and I will live with them for the rest of my life, Mazón stated during his resignation announcement, adding that he should have canceled his schedule to address the crisis. I have said sorry and I say it again, but none of [the mistakes] were due to political calculation or bad faith.
Public sentiment had soured significantly against Mazón, with polls indicating widespread calls for his resignation, reflected by monthly protests demanding him to step down. His insistence on attending memorial ceremonies for the victims despite public outrage further inflamed tensions.
Mazón appeared rattled by the circumstances leading to his resignation, particularly on the same day that Vilaplana testified before a judge investigating possible negligence in the emergency response. He will retain his position in the regional parliament, granting him immunity from prosecution.
Amidst expressed frustration, Mazón criticized the central government for purportedly blocking aid to the region, claiming it aimed to politically damage his administration. The challenge of appointing a successor complicates matters for his party, the People's Party (PP), as they require support from the far-right Vox party in the region for any new leadership transitions.
Reports surfaced that Mazón spent nearly four hours at a restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana while floodwaters devastated the region, failing to attend critical emergency meetings. His government did not issue an emergency alert to residents until after 20:00, by which time numerous lives had already been lost.
I can't go on anymore... I know that I made mistakes, I acknowledge it and I will live with them for the rest of my life, Mazón stated during his resignation announcement, adding that he should have canceled his schedule to address the crisis. I have said sorry and I say it again, but none of [the mistakes] were due to political calculation or bad faith.
Public sentiment had soured significantly against Mazón, with polls indicating widespread calls for his resignation, reflected by monthly protests demanding him to step down. His insistence on attending memorial ceremonies for the victims despite public outrage further inflamed tensions.
Mazón appeared rattled by the circumstances leading to his resignation, particularly on the same day that Vilaplana testified before a judge investigating possible negligence in the emergency response. He will retain his position in the regional parliament, granting him immunity from prosecution.
Amidst expressed frustration, Mazón criticized the central government for purportedly blocking aid to the region, claiming it aimed to politically damage his administration. The challenge of appointing a successor complicates matters for his party, the People's Party (PP), as they require support from the far-right Vox party in the region for any new leadership transitions.
