Ahead of the first anniversary of the devastating floods in the province of Valencia, which claimed 229 lives, a new conflict has erupted between the victims’ relatives and regional authorities. The families of the victims are adamantly opposed to the presence of Consell President Carlos Mazón (Carlos Mazón) among the invited guests at the state memorial ceremony, scheduled for October 29 at the Museu de les Ciències i les Arts in Valencia.
As the event organizers prepare for the day of mourning, they sent out invitations and requested information for the ceremony arrangements. In response, representatives of the association of victims’ families stated that a significant number of relatives oppose Mazón’s attendance. According to them, his participation contradicts the association’s position, which has repeatedly criticized the authorities’ actions during the natural disaster and demanded the resignation of the Consell leader.
The association, uniting about 160 members from 90 victims’ families, believes that Mazón is directly responsible for the consequences of the tragedy. The relatives insist that he be summoned to court and see no logic in his presence at the memorial event while demands for his resignation and accountability continue.
There is also resentment over the possible attendance of other high-ranking Consell officials, particularly Vice President Susana Camarero (Susana Camarero) and Education Minister José Antonio Rovira (José Antonio Rovira), who have also faced criticism for their actions during the floods.
On this day, the focus should be on the families of the victims, according to representatives of other affected associations. In addition to the victims from Valencia, the memorial ceremony will also acknowledge the tragedies in Castilla-La Mancha, where seven more people died in the floods on October 29, as well as one victim in Andalucía. In total, 237 people lost their lives in different regions of Spain as a result of the disaster, and honoring their memory will be the central purpose of the upcoming event.
The anniversary of the tragedy has once again raised questions about responsibility and the authorities’ treatment of those affected. Relatives of the victims insist that the memorial ceremony should not become a political spectacle but must be dedicated solely to remembering the victims and supporting their families.
