Victims of the DANA storm demand Mazón's statement regarding his 'WhatsApp messages': "They have deceived us for a year"

BarcelonaOutrage has erupted among victims of the devastating floods caused by the release of text messages from Carlos Mazón this Friday. These messages demonstrate that the former president of the Valencian regional government disregarded the crisis in the Valencian Community following the torrential rains of October 29th. In a strongly worded statement, two victims' associations emphasize that the messages, provided by former regional minister Salomé Pradas, prove that Mazón was aware of the severity of the situation and refused to change his schedule. before entering El VentorroMazón maintained his plans even after learning, before 5:00 PM, that there had already been a first death in Utiel.

"We have been deceived for a year. The official narrative that denied having clear grounds for action doesn't hold up in the face of these messages. The information existed and wasn't used to save lives," lamented the Association of Victims of the DANA Storm of October 29, 2019. For this reason, they demand that Mazón, who remains a member of the Valencian Parliament, immediately resign his seat. Without this, they warn that they will not meet with the new president of the Valencian Government, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, who expressed his willingness to rebuild bridges with both the victims and the Spanish government, with a view to reconstruction.

The Valencian president, invested a week ago with the votes of Vox and PPHe reiterated this desire on Saturday from Congress, on the occasion of Constitution Day: "People are tired of the tension," he said, and defended "dialogue" in the new phase now beginning for the Valencian Government, without commenting on his predecessor's remarks. His team has already held talks with the Prime Minister's office and is looking for a date to meet. Also speaking from Congress, the leader of the People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, avoided criticizing Mazón and, in fact, expressed his conviction that until now he had defended "what he believes to be true." "The PP has turned the page on the Valencian Government with a new candidate," he simply stated.

But will Genoa pressure Mazón to back down? In an informal conversation with journalists in the Lower House, Feijóo stated that the decision to leave his seat was personal, and reiterated that the Popular Party leader, awarded this week with a parliamentary post with a bonus of 600 eurosHe assumed "responsibility" by resigning from the presidency. However, the resignation did not occur until a year later, and after the state funeral for the victims of the DANA storm. where the victims lashed out against the former president, accusing him of being a "murderer". Regarding the leadership change within the Valencian PP, he expressed his willingness to make it in December, "if there is time." —reports Andrea Zamorano.

"It's an outrage."

Apart from Mazón's inaction, Pradas's messages, which the ARA has had access to, They demonstrate that Mazón's former chief of staff, Juan Manuel Cuenca, tried to prevent the then-Minister of the Interior from restricting citizens' movement in the areas affected by the storm. His chats have now become part of the ongoing investigation, after Pradas submitted them in a notarized statement at the request of the judge in Catarroja. The investigating judge requested them following their interview. in the program Savedwhere she lamented that Mazón was using her as a "scapegoat".

For the two victims' associations, the WhatsApps They dismantle Mazón's claim that he lacked the information to act, because he was indeed aware of both the rescues and the hydrological alert. Among all the messages, there is one in which the former president replied, at 1:34 p.m., when Pradas alerted him to the situation in the Poio ravine and the Magro River: "Cool." Cuenca also dissuaded Pradas from implementing a lockdown, which, according to the associations, was a "potentially lethal" decision.

"It is an outrage towards the people who died and their families. We will not tolerate the continued cover-up of responsibilities with euphemisms or the attempt to normalize negligence," they state in the press release. In addition to Mazón's resignation as a member of parliament, they demand a "complete break with the narrative defending the Consell over the past year" and the dismissal of all officials who have defended him. This includes Vice President Susana Camarero and councilors José Antonio Rovira and Miguel Barrachina. Furthermore, the organizations are requesting "full cooperation" with the judicial investigation so that all those mentioned hand over to the judge any documentation, devices, and records that may help clarify the chain of decisions made on October 29. This investigation, for the moment, does not include Mazón, since as a member of parliament he retains parliamentary immunity. If the judge considers there is evidence against him, the Valencian High Court of Justice would be responsible for investigating him.