Source: BBC
DST News: Carlos Mazón, president of Spain’s Valencia region, has resigned following months of mounting criticism over his government’s handling of the catastrophic floods that struck the region last year.
The floods on 29 October 2024 claimed 229 lives in Valencia and another eight in nearby areas, making it Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in decades. Public outrage grew as investigations revealed serious lapses in the regional government’s emergency response.
At the height of the disaster, Mazón reportedly spent nearly four hours at a restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, missing key emergency meetings. Officials also failed to send out timely mobile alerts warning residents about the rapidly worsening floods — the first messages were not issued until after 8 p.m., by which time dozens had already died.
Announcing his resignation, Mazón admitted his failures. “I can’t go on anymore… I know that I made mistakes. I acknowledge them and will live with them for the rest of my life,” he said, adding that he should have cancelled his schedule to lead the crisis response. He insisted, however, that his missteps were not driven by “political calculation or bad faith.”
Public anger had been intensifying for months, with regular demonstrations demanding his resignation. The most recent protest, held on 25 October, drew an estimated 50,000 people in Valencia. Mazón had also faced open hostility at public events, including a memorial for flood victims last week, where grieving families jeered him during the ceremony.
His decision to quit came the same day journalist Maribel Vilaplana testified before a judge investigating possible negligence. Spanish media reported that she told the court Mazón had been “constantly texting” during their meeting and received “numerous phone calls” as the disaster unfolded.
Despite stepping down, Mazón will remain a member of the regional parliament, granting him immunity from prosecution related to the case.
In his final remarks, Mazón accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left-wing government of deliberately withholding aid to Valencia for “political reasons.”
Within the conservative People’s Party (PP), Mazón’s unpopularity had become a growing concern, with fears it could hurt the party’s national standing. However, replacing him may prove difficult, as the PP depends on support from the far-right Vox party in the regional parliament.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who reportedly spoke to Mazón before his resignation, praised his decision to step aside but defended his record. “He made mistakes, yes, and he apologised,” Feijóo said. “But no national emergency depends on a single person — and Carlos Mazón is not a murderer.”
