In Catalonia, the investigation continues into the circumstances of the major tragedy that occurred on October 29, when flooding claimed the lives of 229 people in Valencia. This time, the court’s attention has focused on the movements of journalist Maribel Vilaplana, who met that day with acting head of government Carlos Mazón.
The judge has demanded that the management company of the Glorieta parking facility in Valencia provide proof of Maribel Vilaplana’s vehicle entry and exit times. This decision came after the journalist, testifying as a witness in court, was unable to present a parking ticket previously requested from her. The court now seeks to determine the exact time she left the parking lot in order to clarify the timeline of events for that day.
Vilaplana had lunch with Mazón at the El Ventorro restaurant, where, according to her, they stayed from 3:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Afterwards, she went to her car, accompanied by Mazón. The investigation considers it crucial to establish up to what point the journalist was with the president, to determine whether she could have witnessed any phone conversations between Mazón and former Justice Minister Salomé Pradas, who is also involved in the case.
The judge granted a motion from one of the prosecutors, believing that information about Vilaplana’s parking time would help more accurately reconstruct the sequence of events. This will make it possible to determine whether she was present during discussions of key issues related to the authorities’ actions on the day of the disaster.
The owner of the restaurant where the meeting took place has also been summoned to testify. Investigators are continuing to gather details to determine how decisions were made at the critical moment and who may have witnessed these discussions. Attention to details such as the parking ticket highlights how important it is for the court to piece together a complete picture of the events of October 29.
