Legal Proceedings Intensify Over DANA Disaster Management as Key Witness is Summoned

The judicial investigation into the tragic management of the DANA (Drought and Natural Disasters Agency) that resulted in 230 fatalities on October 29, 2024, is escalating with new developments. José Manuel Cuenca, the chief of staff to former Valencian Generalitat president Carlos Mazón, has been summoned again to provide testimony as a witness. This summons was issued following the emergence of critical WhatsApp messages exchanged between Cuenca and former Justice and Interior Minister Salomé Pradas, which highlight the chaos and miscommunication during the storm’s aftermath. The procedural order was delivered by the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV) and indicates that Cuenca is required to appear in Catarroja on December 12 at 9:30 AM. This recent call for testimony means that a session originally planned for that day involving an Ilunion employee has been postponed. In the messages provided by Pradas to the court, salient details of their communication reveal alarming oversights during the natural disaster's management. At 4:28 PM, Pradas informed Cuenca that reports indicated a deceased person in Utiel, Valencia, due to the flooding. Notably, Cuenca failed to acknowledge this grim news in his initial statement to the court. Pradas and Cuenca were in frequent contact throughout the day as the storm worsened. At 2:25 PM, Pradas warned, "Things are getting complicated." Just two hours later, she relayed the report of the deceased. Cuenca, however, continued to focus on logistics instead of the alarming reports of fatality, forwarding messages from Mazón that discussed a planned visit to emergency services that evening. The ensuing conversation reveals Cuenca's reluctance to implement population confinement as a preventive measure. As the day progressed, tensions rose around the need for action; Cuenca urged against confining the province. His rationale emphasized that such drastic measures would be "outrageous," arguing that it would be more effective to focus on zoning affected areas rather than implementing broad lockdowns. Pradas warned of the deteriorating conditions, stating, "Things are very, very bad," and discussed the risk of floods throughout the province. Cuenca insisted on more targeted measures, asserting that declaring a state of emergency would be necessary for confinement measures, a topic he seemed to be advocating against. The back-and-forth culminated around 8 PM, with Cuenca still pushing back against the confinement, telling Pradas to "get that out of your head please. Relax, okay?" These revelations suggest that decision-making during the crisis might have been hampered by a lack of timely communication and clear directives, raising significant concerns about the adequacy of the response to the disaster. The investigation continues as the public and families affected by the DANA disaster seek accountability for the lapses in disaster management that led to loss of life and widespread devastation. Cuenca's forthcoming testimony could provide crucial insights into the government’s decision-making process at a critical time. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2