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Mazón's bodyguards did not accompany him to lunch because he ordered them not to.

A member of the security team explained that it was unusual for him to forgo using the restrooms before walking to the restaurant, but that it wasn't the first time.

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Images of Carlos Mazón's arrival at Cecopio on the day of the DANA in the Valencian Community.
Images of Carlos Mazón's arrival at Cecopio on the day of the DANA storm in the Valencian Community. EFE/ Àgencia De Seguretat I Èmergencies
Daniel Martín Fernández
Upd. 21
1 min

ValenciaOne of the three bodyguards who accompanied former Valencian president Carlos Mazón on the day of the storm has testified to the judge in the case that the former head of the Valencian government asked the security team not to accompany him to the El Ventorro restaurant, where the PP politician had lunch for almost four hours with journalist Maribel Vilaplana. He also stated that the conservative leader returned to the Palau de la Generalitat (the seat of the Valencian government) around 7:50 p.m. This information was provided to ARA by sources present during the testimony.

The never-before-seen video of Carlos Mazón's arrival at Cecopio
Mazón's arrival at the Cecopio

The bodyguard stated that around 7:15 p.m. they were notified that the president had to be picked up to go to the Emergency Center. "Around 7:50 p.m., Mazón arrived. He was alone. He went up to the office and said: I'm going down now and we're leaving."The whole process was very quick, and they left the Palau a few minutes before 8 p.m.," he added. The witness also confirmed that advisor Josep Lanuza and press officer Maite Gómez accompanied the former head of the Consell on the journey.

The lunch was cancelled due to the severe weather conditions affecting the Valencian Community since early morning, with numerous towns flooded.

Vilaplana left the parking lot an hour after finishing lunch with Mazón
The broadcaster Maribel Vilaplana upon her arrival at the Catarroja courthouse a few weeks ago.
The investigation committee of Les Corts summons victims' associations

The dates have been set for the appearances of the victims' associations before the Valencian Parliament's commission investigating the political handling of the disaster: February 23 and 24. This was agreed upon by the commission's board, chaired by Vox, where the far-right party and the People's Party (PP) hold a majority.

The opposition has criticized from the outset a work schedule that summons the families of the victims almost a year and a half after the catastrophe, when it has already been months since the associations appeared before the Congress of Deputies and since the commission of the Valencian Parliament began to work.

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