Significant changes have taken place in the government of the Comunitat Valenciana: Francisco José Gan Pampols, who served as vice president for economic recovery and social affairs, has announced his resignation. His departure was not only anticipated but also symbolic of the current political climate in the region, where uncertainty is growing and a shift in political direction is underway.
Alongside Gan, his deputy, General Venancio Aguado, is also leaving the cabinet. Both military officials were brought into the government to coordinate recovery efforts after the devastating disaster, but faced a lack of actual authority and support. Their resignations were officially confirmed at a government meeting in Alicante, where acting president Carlos Mazón signed a decree reallocating responsibilities. Now, Vicente Martínez Mus, who previously oversaw environmental and infrastructure matters, will be in charge of recovery.
Gan Pampols made no secret of his disappointment: for several months he tried to create a unified coordinating body between regional and central authorities, but his initiatives were never implemented. In his view, the main obstacle to effective recovery efforts in the affected areas was the lack of cooperation between Madrid and Valencia. As a result, many projects remained on paper, while bureaucratic delays stalled the launch of crucial works.
Coordination failures and internal conflicts
From the very beginning of his tenure, the general faced limited authority and a lack of clear subordination. Most decisions were made without his input, while other government members preferred to act independently. As a result, even the most sensible initiatives to restore infrastructure and support municipalities received little backing.
Internal disagreements were exacerbated by ongoing political disputes between regional authorities and the central government. Han’s attempts to establish dialogue with Socialist representatives and set up recovery working groups fell flat. Moreover, his proposals to redistribute staff and speed up approvals were blocked at various levels.
New appointments and future plans
After Han and his team stepped down, Vicente Martínez Musa took on the responsibilities for recovery. The new leader has already announced his intention to build bridges with the opposition and focus on completing critical infrastructure projects—particularly strengthening water channels and improving flood protection.
Despite all the challenges, Gán left behind a strategic recovery plan and recommendations for responding to future emergencies. However, their implementation now depends on the political will and ability of the new leadership to overcome bureaucratic hurdles. The government claims that some initiatives are already underway, but experts doubt their effectiveness without genuine cooperation with Madrid.
Consequences for the region
The general’s resignation sent an alarming signal across the entire Valencian Community. It showed just how difficult it is to carry out large-scale projects without support and coordination between different levels of government. The region now faces a tough challenge: not only to rebuild what was destroyed, but also to create a new management system that can respond quickly to crises and bring together efforts for a common goal.
