Testimonies from the driver and bodyguards of former President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, shed new light on the tragic events of October 29, 2024. The chauffeur testified in court that at the moment the critical ES-Alert mobile warning was issued, the president was still in his car in central Valencia, not at the crisis command center. Additionally, the region's civil defense structures were hit by a wave of resignations among top officials responsible for innovation in emergency situations.

Undermining the Official Timeline

The driver of Carlos Mazón confirmed that the ES-Alert system was activated while the president was still in Valencia, not at Cecopi.

Wave of Resignations in Emergències

Director Raúl Quílez resigned from his position after testifying about concealing video recordings from the day of the flood for six months.

Knowledge of Alarm Systems

Officials testified that the public warning mechanisms were well known to the leadership, which implicates former head of the department Salomé Pradas.

Hearings before investigating judge Nuria Ruiz Tobarrá in Catarroja undermine the previous narrative of Carlos Mazón regarding his actions on the day of the catastrophic DANA. The former president's chauffeur testified that the critical ES-Alert system, which sent notifications to residents' mobile phones at 20:11, sounded while the president was still in the car en route to Cecopi, located still in the very center of Valencia. This contradicts earlier suggestions of his earlier presence at the command center. Simultaneously with witness testimonies, a staffing crisis is growing within the structures of the Generalitat Valenciana. Raúl Quílez, Director General for Innovation in Emergency Situations, resigned after testifying in court about concealing recordings from crisis committee meetings. The crisis is deepened by reports from Ricardo García, a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Justice, who stated that the warning system was perfectly well-known to officials, which undermines the defense line of former advisor Salomé Pradas, who claimed she only learned about ES-Alert on the day of the tragedy. The flash flood (DANA) of October 2024 was the most tragic natural disaster in modern Spanish history, causing 230 deaths and enormous material losses, leading to mass social protests against the authorities' sluggishness. The driver's testimony also revealed that Mazón returned home before 1:00 a.m., even though the Cecopi crisis command center worked non-stop until morning. Other witnesses, including security officers, confirmed that the president repeatedly declined their assistance in the hours preceding the escalation of the disaster. The investigation is currently focusing on the lack of proper communication between ministries and the civil protection system. „My departure is a result of a lack of trust and the need to renew structures after the tragic experiences of October.” — Raúl Quílez

Mentioned People

  • Carlos Mazón — Former President of the Generalitat Valenciana, whose actions on the day of the flood are the subject of a judicial investigation.
  • Raúl Quílez — Former Director General for Innovation in Emergency Situations, who resigned.
  • Salomé Pradas — Former advisor for justice and internal affairs, responsible for crisis management during the DANA.