Carlos Mazón, the president of Spain’s Valencia region, has resigned after months of intense scrutiny over his handling of the devastating flash floods that occurred last year. The catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of 229 people in the Valencia region and an additional eight in neighboring areas, marking one of Spain’s worst natural disasters in recent decades.
Widespread criticism was directed at Mazón and his government for their response on the day of the tragedy. Reports emerged that Mazón spent nearly four hours at a restaurant with a journalist while the floods were at their peak, and he missed crucial emergency meetings throughout the day. Furthermore, his government’s failure to issue a timely emergency alert to residents’ phones, providing essential warnings and advice, until after 8 PM, drew considerable backlash, as many lives could have been saved.
Acknowledging his shortcomings, Mazón stated, “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.” He admitted that he should have cancelled his engagements that day to fully manage the crisis, emphasizing that his actions were not driven by political calculation or bad faith.
Public sentiment in Valencia had overwhelmingly called for Mazón’s resignation, with polls consistently showing a desire for him to step down due to his handling of the floods. Recent protests, including one on October 25th where an estimated 50,000 people marched in Valencia, underscored this demand. Mazón had visibly reduced his public appearances in recent months due to public criticism.
The situation was further exacerbated when Mazón attended the memorial service for the flood victims on the first anniversary of the tragedy. His presence angered relatives of those who died, and he was heckled during the ceremony, an experience that appeared to be a tipping point for his resignation.
Mazón’s departure also comes amidst an ongoing judicial investigation into potential negligence. The journalist he dined with on the day of the floods, Maribel Vilaplana, testified before the judge, reportedly stating that Mazón was frequently on his phone and received numerous calls during their meeting.
Mazón will remain a member of the regional parliament, retaining parliamentary immunity. In his resignation announcement, he also criticized the central government led by Pedro Sánchez, accusing it of hindering aid to the Valencia region for political gain.
His tenure had become increasingly challenging for the conservative People’s Party (PP), with concerns that his low approval ratings could negatively impact the party’s electoral performance both regionally and nationally. The process of appointing a successor is complicated by the PP’s reliance on support from the far-right Vox party in the region, whose agreement will be necessary for any new leadership.