The head of the regional government of Valencia, Carles Mazon, has rejected calls for his resignation following protests over his response to a deadly flood.
Speaking in the Valencian parliament on Friday, November 15, Mazon expressed condolences to the families of the victims and proposed the creation of a parliamentary inquiry to investigate any government failures in handling the disaster.
Mazon, a member of Spain’s conservative People’s Party, reiterated that the central government, led by the Socialists, should bear responsibility for the deaths of more than 200 people.
He also questioned whether the response to the crisis, including coordination and timeliness, was adequate given the severity of the situation. The official acknowledged that some areas of Valencia were not reached by help for too long and defended his handling of the crisis, claiming he had “fully managed the situation” — despite reports showing he was away for a two-hour working lunch at the onset of the floods.
The floods, which killed over 200 people in Valencia alone, are among the worst in Europe this century. The region has requested 31 billion euros in aid from the central government following the disaster.
