Tens of thousands rally against leader of flood-hit Valencia – the 5th major protest

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Valencia on Saturday, demanding the resignation of regional leader Carlos Mazón of the right-wing People’s Party (PP), over his handling of the devastating floods that struck the region in October.

Saturday’s demonstration marked the fifth major protest against Mazón since the disaster. The wave of public outrage began in November when 130,000 people took to the streets of Valencia to express their discontent. ALSO READ: Over 130,000 march in Valencia to protest handling of deadly floods.

Emotions remain raw four months after the deadliest natural disaster in Spain in decades claimed 232 lives, with 224 of the victims from the eastern Valencia region. Click here for all our reports related to the Valencia Floods.

The protest, organised by dozens of unions and civil society groups, saw demonstrators holding photos of their deceased relatives while chanting ‘Mazón resign’. They marched behind a banner declaring, ‘our relatives died due to your incompetence’.

Placards with slogans such as ‘Mazón in prison’, ‘murderers’, and ‘we don’t forgive, we don’t forget’ were displayed. Among the protest materials was a large cardboard figure of Mazón, depicted with bloodstained hands.

According to the central government’s office in Valencia, approximately 30,000 people took part in the demonstration. ALSO READ: 100,000 rally in Valencia, calling for regional leader to resign over flood response.

In Spain’s decentralised system, regional governments are responsible for emergency responses. Mazón has faced heavy criticism for the perceived inadequacy of his administration’s actions during and after the disaster. ALSO READ: Regional president of Valencia admits to ‘mistakes’ in handling flood disaster, but refuses to resign.

An emergency alert was sent to residents’ phones only after floodwaters had already swept through the region. Many people stranded by the floods were left without essential supplies like food, water and electricity for several days.

Public anger intensified this week when Mazón provided a conflicting account of his location on 29 October, the day torrential rains began causing the catastrophic flooding that damaged homes and swept away vehicles.

The ruling socialist party (PSOE) has called on the PP opposition leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to dismiss Mazón from his position.

Feijóo ‘knows Mazón is toxic’ and has the power to resolve the ‘unbearable situation’ by removing him from office, PSOE Science Minister Diana Morant said, while speaking to reporters in the flood-stricken town of Picanya on Saturday.

However, PP spokesman Miguel Tellado accused the PSOE of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. ‘The socialists were using the pain of the Valencian people to engage in the crudest, lowest form of politics. That is intolerable,’ he said.

Despite mounting pressure, Mazón has repeatedly rejected demands for his resignation and pledged to oversee the extensive recovery process through the remainder of his term, which ends in 2027.

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