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leader of Valencia region of Spain has announced his resignation, citing his government’s widely condemned response last year devastating flood In which 229 people died.
Carlos Mazzone, who has faced persistent calls to step down since the disaster in October 2024, confirmed his departure on Monday.
its administration deal with emergencies It has been heavily criticized, particularly for issuing flood warnings to residents’ mobile phones hours after floodwaters overflowed river banks, sweeping away cars and destroying homes.
The public outcry resulted in this State Memorial Ceremony on the first anniversary of the tragedy, where family members of the victims reportedly mocked and insulted him before the program began.
was addressing journalists in ValenciaMr. Mazzone admitted: “I know I made mistakes. I accept them, and I will live with them for the rest of my life. I have apologized, and I apologize again today, but none of them were due to political calculation or bad faith.”
His administration’s slow response to the emergency has been widely condemned by both citizens and political opponents.
He was also widely criticized for having a long lunch with a journalist on the day of the flood when emergency officials were meeting to manage the crisis.
there was a natural disaster One of Europe’s deadliest in living memoryand also caused billions of euros worth of damage, mainly in the suburbs of Valencia. spainThe third largest city of.
Over the past year, there have been several large street protests in Valencia calling for Mazzone to step down, including one just days before the year’s commemorations that was attended by thousands of protesters.
Nevertheless, Mazzone clung to power, even though his management of the disaster became a drag on the prospects of his centre-right Popular Party.
He blamed Spain’s leftist national government for failing to adequately respond to the disaster, even though Spain’s decentralized system of government leaves regional authorities handling civil defense.
Regional governments can ask the national government to get involved madridNow led by socialists, calls for additional resources, and use of information from national weather forecasters and other agencies.
Mazzone did not specify Monday whether he was calling a snap election or giving up his seat in the regional assembly — nor did he name an interim successor.
With his resignation, Mazzone said that in the context of Valencia’s recovery efforts, the Spanish government “no longer has any excuse for dragging its feet”, adding that the past year had brought “unbearable moments” for him and his family.