Valencian President Carlos Mazón Survives Controversial Vote Amid Calls for Resignation
In a tense session on Thursday, Carlos Mazón, the president of the Valencian Generalitat, successfully navigated a vote in Les Corts that sought his resignation following criticisms of his handling of the DANA (Storm and Flood Event). The motion, brought forth by Compromís, garnered a vote of 52 against resignation and 41 in favor, despite overwhelming public sentiment calling for accountability.
The controversial vote was amplified by the complicity of Vox and the People's Party (PP), who united to bolster Mazón's position. While initially promising a transparent vote, the president of Les Corts shifted the voting method multiple times, ultimately settling on a quick secret ballot that elicited protests from deputies. Critics from Compromís and the Socialist Party of Valencia (PSPV) condemned both the votes' secrecy and the perceived cowardice of their political opponents, brandishing placards reading "227 dead and 1 responsible"—a pointed reference to the casualties attributed to the disaster.
Outside the Valencian Parliament, a gathering of victims and their advocates added an emotional backdrop to the political strife. María Gradolí, the president of the Victims Association for DANA, urgently appealed to the junta, requesting a decisive vote to relieve the burdens felt by those traumatized by recent events. Gradolí chastised Mazón’s absence, suggesting that timely alerts and robust leadership could have mitigated the disaster’s impact. Her claims were stark: "We are missing 227 people, including young ones and elders, which is heartbreaking."
Compromís spokesperson addressed the plenary session, outlining the reasons for the call to action against Mazón. Central to their assertions was the claim that warning alerts had been issued belatedly and that vital resources had remained unutilized, compounded by a lack of empathy as Mazón failed to acknowledge the pain suffered by the victims. The spokesperson described the president as "finished, amortized, and pathetic."
In what seemed a defiant rebuttal, Mazón maintained his stance saying, "Stay in the mud; I will be in the reconstruction," hinting at a commitment to improving the situation despite the political fallout.
The situation highlights a larger struggle in Valencian politics as criticisms of Mazón's leadership grow louder, juxtaposed with pressing concerns over disaster responses and community resilience. As the region grapples with the aftereffects of DANA, the path toward recovery remains fraught with both political tension and human cost.
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