Tens of thousands of people marched Saturday in Valencia to vent their anger at the authorities’ handling of deadly floods.
Thousands also marched in other Spanish cities, but the Valencia regional authorities put the turnout in the regional capital at over 130,000.
Some protesters shouted ‘Asesinos! Asesinos!’ (‘Murderers! Murderers!’) and some carried placards denouncing Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, as well as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The region was the worst hit by last month’s floods, the most serious in decades, which killed at least 220 people and left towns and cities swamped with mud.
Local people are furious about the lack of warning, some pointing out that official alerts for the floods landed on people’s phones when cars were already being washed away.
There is also anger over what critics say was the slow response of the authorities in the aftermath of the deadly flash floods that affected around 80 towns and cities in the region.
The rally started in the square in front of city hall before a march to the Valencia regional headquarters.
Many protesters had harsh words for Mazón, a 50-year-old lawyer who is a member of the right-wing opposition People’s Party (PP) – the main opposition in the national parliament in Spain, but heading the regional government in Valencia..
Mazón was among the senior figures pelted with mud by angry protesters last Sunday — along with Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain — as they visited the flood-hit region. ALSO READ: Spanish royals, PM and regional president pelted with mud by flood survivors.
But while the Valencia regional government was too slow to ask for help from Madrid, the central government also shared some of the blame, according to protesters.
As beleaguered residents waited for official help to arrive, many local people took matters into their own hands, turning out in large numbers to start the clean-up themselves.
Some of the marchers chanted what has become a popular refrain in recent weeks: ‘Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo!’ (‘Only the people save the people!’).
Of the 220 deaths confirmed so far, 212 of them were killed in the Valencia region. The clean-up operations in some villages – and the search for bodies of dozens of missing people – is still going on. ALSO READ: Search for those still missing after floods also moves to Valencia coastline.
Protesters also marched in other cities across Spain, including Madrid and Alicante, in the Valencia region.
The health board of the Valencia region has reported no outbreaks of infectious diseases or a major threat to public health.
Even so, regional health authorities have asked local councils to apply measures to control and prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes and other insects capable of spreading diseases.
Carlos Mazón, presidente de la Generalitat Valenciana:
“No hay recomendaciones oficiales de hervir el agua en este momento. Quiero desmentirlo porque esas informaciones del ministerio no son acertadas […] Agua embotellada, para beber y cocinar, hay de sobra. El agua corriente… pic.twitter.com/EsUVa1lhFU
— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) November 10, 2024
🪧Manifestación multitudinaria bajo el lema “Mazón dimisión”.
▪️Mas de 60 organizaciones se han adherido a la convocatoria.
▪️Muchos de los asistentes llegan de zonas afectadas, tras horas caminando
#Dana #ValenciaBajoAgua pic.twitter.com/BMxh7VdGGE— RTVE Comunitat Valenciana (@RTVEValencia) November 9, 2024
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