In Valencia, Spain, a large protest took place demanding the resignation of regional leader Carlos Mazón after deadly floods and the lack of schools for students. Protesters, holding signs calling for Mazón’s resignation, marched through the city.
The controversy over how the regional government handled the floods continues to spark debate. The teachers’ union accused Mazón of shifting the responsibility for cleaning up the affected areas onto teachers and students. Following the widespread floods, 30 schools remain closed, leaving 13,000 children without a place to study.
A representative from the regional government stated that since November 11, around 32,000 students from flood-affected areas have returned to school. According to the Spanish government, about 5,000 people participated in the demonstration.
“We feel abandoned because teachers, parents, and volunteers have to clean the schools. We’ve seen some cleaners at certain schools, but there weren’t enough,” said one of the protesters.
Mazón is also criticized for sending flood warnings to residents too late. While he admitted to making mistakes, he refused to resign.
The floods, which killed more than 200 people in Valencia alone, were among the deadliest in Europe this century. Following the disaster, the region requested €31 billion in aid from the central government.
