Valencian president Juanfran Pérez Llorca will send pandemic-era hospital contracts worth €13 million to prosecutors. The move comes as opposition parties accuse his government of weakness and mismanagement.
Valencian president Juanfran Pérez Llorca has announced that his government will refer €13 million in pandemic-era hospital contracts, awarded under the previous administration led by Ximo Puig, to the Fiscalía. The decision, revealed during a tense session in Les Corts, marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing political conflict between the current regional government and opposition parties PSPV and Compromís.
Pérez Llorca’s move comes after sustained criticism from the opposition, who accuse his administration of weakness and inaction, particularly in the wake of the deadly dana (severe storm) that struck Valencia province and resulted in 230 deaths. Opposition deputies pressed the president over internal messages exchanged by members of Carlos Mazón’s Consell on the day of the disaster, including instructions to “flood the media with data” to project a sense of alertness. These messages, submitted to a court in Catarroja by vice president Susana Camarero, have fueled accusations of poor crisis management and lack of accountability.
In response, Pérez Llorca shifted focus to what he described as “socialist corruption,” referencing national scandals involving figures such as Pedro Sánchez and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. He cited a report from El Español highlighting that a company awarded €13 million in contracts during the pandemic later partnered with another firm linked to a Venezuelan businessman. The president argued that the opposition should show “less arrogance and more humility,” pointing to ongoing legal proceedings involving former socialist officials.
Socialist spokesperson José Muñoz criticized Pérez Llorca for retaining and rewarding key figures from the previous crisis response team, including Mazón, Camarero, José Antonio Rovira, and Vicente Martínez Mus. Muñoz demanded resignations and fresh elections, labeling Pérez Llorca a “weak president” reliant on Vox support. Compromís leader Joan Baldoví also condemned the government’s handling of the dana, questioning salary increases for officials and highlighting instances where senior figures were absent or disengaged during the emergency.
Pérez Llorca countered by accusing Compromís of prioritizing national political alliances and criticized their record on public sector pay. He rejected calls for dismissals, defending his administration’s approach and contrasting it with the opposition’s tenure. The session was marked by visible protests outside the regional parliament, with groups representing taxi drivers, teachers, social service centers, and victims’ associations voicing their discontent. Inside, opposition deputies displayed banners denouncing what they described as the partisan use of Les Corts by PP and Vox.
At the start of the session, Compromís deputy Isaura Navarro requested the withdrawal of the dana report from the day’s agenda, citing the newly revealed internal messages. The proposal was rejected by the chamber, with PP and Vox voting against it. The controversy over the management of the dana and the handling of pandemic contracts has intensified scrutiny of both current and former regional leaders, reflecting broader tensions in Valencian and national politics.
For context, the Generalitat Valenciana is the regional government of the Valencian Community, responsible for public administration, health, and emergency response. The dana of October 2024 was one of the deadliest weather events in recent Spanish history, prompting ongoing judicial investigations. The political landscape in the region remains polarized, with coalition dynamics between PP and Vox shaping legislative outcomes and fueling disputes with opposition parties.
