New mass demonstration in Valencia against Mazón: "He's occupying the Generalitat"

ValenciaA massive demonstration culminated the general strike called this Thursday in the Valencian Community by the unions CGT, CNT, COS, and Intersindical Valenciana to protest the management of the DANA (National Highway Administration) and demand the resignation of the head of the Consell (Consell), Carlos Mazón. The march was attended by 15,000 people, according to the Spanish government delegation, and was led by associations of families of victims and those affected by the catastrophe, who called the Valencian president a "squatter."

The demonstration was the largest event of a day that began at 2:00 a.m. with pickets at Mercavalencia, the city's main food distribution company. The protests continued later at the facilities of the Municipal Transport Company (EMT), causing service delays. The unions also blocked traffic on two of the main highways connecting the city of Valencia, the V-30 and the A-3.

According to sources from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities, and Employment, as of midday, the protest's participation rate was 6.53% in education, 1.39% in the general administration of the Generalitat (Catalan government), 1% in healthcare, and 0.20% in justice. In the case of the EMT drivers, Valencia City Council has increased its participation to 10%. As for the organizing unions, which do not include the majority, CCOO (Working Workers' Union) and UGT (Union of Workers' Unions), they have not released any figures.

Before the afternoon mobilization, at 12 noon, the organizations organizing the strike held an initial march in which, according to the Spanish government delegation, 2,500 people participated. In support of the protest, demonstrations were also held in Valencian cities such as Alicante, Elche, and Castellón de la Plana, and in other Spanish cities such as Madrid and Zaragoza.

The turnout for the midday mobilization was nothing compared to the massive protest at 7 p.m. Once again, the protagonists were the families of the 228 victims. The most categorical was Rosa María Álvarez, president of the Dana 29-O Mortal Victims Association, who emphasized that they continue to "demand the resignation of Carlos Mazón," whom they hold responsible for the deaths. "They died because he didn't warn them. He didn't prevent or anticipate what everyone knew was coming," he summed up. In a harsh tone, he also defended the PP leader, who "is occupying the Generalitat" and demanded that he "leave his post." "Let someone else take over, even if it's from his party," he insisted.

The meeting with Mazón

Regarding the meeting with victims' associations that Mazón requested after the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez did so, Álvarez has made it conditional on the participation of these organizations in the future Parliamentary commission of inquiry, a presence of all affected organizations, and not just the most representative ones. For Álvarez, this is a "shameful" proposal, given that it seeks to "lump together people who may have lost material possessions and those who have lost up to three members of the same family," she criticized. The president of the Dana 29-O Fatal Victims Association also questioned the true intention of the head of the Council. "We need to see why they are requesting the list of associations," she emphasized, before questioning whether the PP and Vox want to promote organizations that are not critical of the executive, thus undermining the message of the majority associations.

Who has also been very forceful is Toñi García, from the DANA Victims Association, October 29, 2024, who criticized Carlos Mazón for boasting this Thursday about the approval of this year's budget. "That they're talking about money now is even more outrageous to me. It seems like they're their lifeline, their lifeline. It's outrageous and shameless," he concluded.