Mazón, or that person you're talking about

It's not true that opinions are more important than facts, but it seems that way because, nowadays, the opinion machine is highly professionalized and well-funded. It has at its disposal a vast arsenal of smokescreens, distractions, information overload, mockery, and the "you too" mentality… All aided by available technology that transforms the narrative into the new truth, because today a lie can seem like the truth only if it's shared ten thousand times.

However, there are facts that defy opinion. 229 deaths are not a matter of opinion. All, or almost all, could have been saved if only the Valencian government had heeded the weather forecasts and activated the planned alerts. As the head of meteorology at À Punt (demoted this weekend) stated, with current resources, this death toll is unacceptable. So unacceptable that it's already being investigated.

Everyone saw this the next day, but it took a year for Mazón to back down. That such a contemptible man refused to back down is part of the tragedy. But Feijóo has come off just as badly. He covered it up immediately, thinking that a day gained was a ticket to oblivion. Until four days ago, he defended him publicly and garnered him applause, and it wasn't until the righteous indignation unleashed at the first anniversary event that Mazón became an outcast, the kind of person you're talking about.

In typical political communication, mistakes and responsibilities are never admitted, whether we're talking about victims of Covid, forest fires, medical screenings, or torrential downpours. The advantage of democracy is that we can send them home. After a court appearance.