A sharp political conflict has erupted in Valencia over the investigation of the authorities’ actions on the day of the devastating flood that claimed the lives of 230 people. At a meeting of the Les Corts Valencianes commission, Vice President and head of the Department of Housing, Employment and Youth Susana Camarero was in the spotlight. She stated that her team acted as quickly as possible based on the information available, and that all calls to the telecare system were processed. However, the opposition and representatives of the victims’ families are demanding her resignation and a public apology.
Pressure on officials
The hearings took place 18 months after the tragedy. Associations of victims gathered in front of the parliament building, displaying banners and laying a wreath in memory of the dead. They once again demanded not only the resignation of all those responsible, but also the lifting of immunity from former regional president Carlos Mazón so he can be questioned in court. According to activists Rosa Álvarez and Mariló Gradolí, none of the three key advisers fulfilled their duties on that critical day.
During the meeting, Susana Camarero described her actions in detail, referring to correspondence with colleagues and claiming that even while attending an official event on the evening of October 29, she remained in contact with her team. She emphasized that instructions for emergency procedures had been sent in the morning to more than 100 social institutions. According to her, the situation in one of the residences deteriorated rapidly only after 7:30 p.m., when, as noted in the reports, a powerful wave of water burst into the building.
Accusations and opposition demands
The parliamentary opposition accused Camarero of misleading the public about the whereabouts and actions of Carlos Mazón on the day of the tragedy. Socialist representative José Muñoz recalled the deaths of 37 people who used tele-assistance, urging Camarero to meet personally with the families of the deceased and resign. Compromís MP Nathalie Torres also criticized her for failing to use the tele-assistance system to warn people of the approaching danger, and for the officials’ long delay in appearing at affected institutions after the disaster.
For his part, Partido Popular representative Fernando Pastor thanked Camarero for her transparency and accused the central government of inaction. He called the accusations against regional officials unfounded, emphasizing that protocols had been sent to all institutions. Members of Vox, who head the commission, condemned the behavior of left-wing parties as “cruel.”
Responsibility for the dam and new disputes
Particular attention was paid to the Buseo dam, which was overflowing on the night of the tragedy and caused the deaths of seven people in Sot de Chera and Pedralba. The Minister of Agriculture and Water, Miguel Barrachina, stated that management of the dam had been outsourced to an external organization, and that crucial information was held by representatives of the Júcar River Confederation (CHJ), who, he claimed, did not provide it to the Cecopi coordination center. The opposition accused Barrachina of trying to evade responsibility and also demanded his resignation. In response, the Partido Popular accused the left of distorting facts, while Vox linked the problems with dams to a lack of investment in infrastructure.
Questions about the transparency and accountability of regional authorities in Valencia remain in the spotlight. Similar controversies over staffing decisions and procedures have arisen before, for example, when the authorities expedited the competition for a position for the partner of the head of the region, which also drew criticism from the opposition and the public.
