Evidence in the Dana Case: Consell Correspondence Reveals Details of the Scandal. Valencian authorities found themselves at the center of a scandal following the leak of Consell correspondence on the day of the disaster. Diana Morant accused officials of concealing information and promised reforms in the education sector.
A political scandal has erupted in Valencia following the publication of correspondence between Consell members on the day of the catastrophic flood, October 29, 2024. PSPV leader and Minister of Science Diana Morant stated that WhatsApp messages prove all key officials were aware of the situation but chose not to inform the public in time. According to her, claims that the authorities lacked information in the morning have now been completely disproven.
Morant emphasized that despite receiving data about the risks, members of the government went about their personal business: former president Carlos Mazón spent several hours at the El Ventorro restaurant, vice presidents attended ceremonies, and the then education minister went home. She called this the “Ventorro category” — a symbol of detachment from reality at a critical moment.
Morant placed responsibility for the consequences on the Consell, recalling the 230 people who died as a result of the disaster. She also called on current president Juanfran Pérez Llorca to provide a public explanation and questioned the legal immunity of Mazón, who now holds a parliamentary seat. In her view, the authorities' actions that day amounted to managing their public image rather than effectively handling the emergency.
During her speech, Morant also noted that the then Minister of the Interior coordinated actions with hydrological services, but in her opinion, this was not enough. She criticized Pérez Llorca for announcing the launch of a school air conditioning program without addressing the main scandal related to the Consell correspondence.
At a meeting with teachers' unions, Morant promised to increase teachers' allowances to 400 euros per month and to repeal the current law on free education, restoring the integrated and multilingual model. She also announced plans to increase funding for school infrastructure, expand administrative staff, and reduce teaching workloads. According to her, these measures will be proposed as an alternative budget in Les Corts.
In response, PP's education spokesperson Beatriz Gascó questioned the seriousness of Morant's initiatives, recalling that similar proposals had not been implemented by the socialists in the past. PSPV claims that some measures had already been planned but were not carried out due to the change of government in 2023.
Morant also expressed her support for former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and spoke of double standards in the Spanish judicial system. The influence of politicians on judicial processes remains a topical issue: recently in Spain, there was discussion about possible pressure during an appointment in Badajoz, where the prime minister's brother denied the accusations in court.
For reference: the disaster on October 29, 2024, became one of the most severe in recent years in the Valencian Community. Questions about the authorities' preparedness for such situations and the transparency of their actions remain at the center of public attention. The law on freedom of education, which is scheduled for repeal, previously sparked debates due to its approach to linguistic and educational balance in the region.
