Spain, Valencia governor Mazón resigns one year after the flood

Madrid (Spain), Nov. 3 (LaPresse/AP) – The governor of Spain’s Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, has announced his resignation over his government’s handling of last year’s devastating floods, which left 229 people dead. Since October 29, 2024, the date of the floods, Mazón has faced constant calls to step down — including last week during a commemorative ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Dana disaster, where victims’ families booed and insulted him before the event began. Mazón has been heavily criticized by citizens and political opponents for his administration’s slow response to the emergency, which included sending a flood alert to residents’ phones only after the waters had already overflowed the banks, sweeping away cars and destroying homes. He was also widely condemned for having taken an extended lunch on the day of the floods while civil protection officials were meeting to manage the crisis.