Valencia flood victims march again demanding former president Mazón's resignation and an end to his parliamentary immunity

Persistent demands for accountability

Thousands of demonstrators, led by the major victims' associations, once again filled the streets of central Valencia on Saturday under the banner "Mazón a prisión" (Mazón to prison). The march, which set off from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, reiterated core demands that have driven monthly protests since the devastating floods of 29 October 2024: the resignation of former Valencian president Carlos Mazón as a regional deputy, the stripping of his parliamentary immunity, and a full accounting of the events that left 230 people dead.

19 months later we are doing the same route as the first demonstration, when 130,000 Valencians came out to support us, and that support is still alive, more alive than ever. We keep going because we have the same objective as that day: truth, justice, reparation and security for the future.

Protesters wore T-shirts with slogans such as "No al aforamiento de Mazón" (No to Mazón's immunity) and "20.11, ni oblit ni perdó" (20.11, neither forget nor forgive), while chanting "No són morts, són assassinats" (They are not deaths, they are murders) and "No a l'aforament, sí a Picassent" (No to immunity, yes to Picassent — a reference to the prison).

A contested official narrative

The demonstration came just days after the Valencian parliament's investigative commission, controlled by the conservative PP and far-right Vox parties, approved its final conclusions on the disaster. Victims' groups have dismissed the commission's work as a "paripé" (charade), arguing it whitewashes the regional government's responsibility by shifting blame to the central government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

We still do not have truth, justice and reparation.

The commission's report does not even mention former president Mazón or consider relevant the delay in sending the ES-Alert emergency warning. Instead, it claims there was "sufficient legal cover for the State to have formally assumed the direction of the emergency" and highlights the lack of anti-flood works in the ravines and an "information blackout" by the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation when the Poyo ravine overflowed.

Competing judicial paths

Victims place their faith in the ongoing investigation at the Court of Instruction in Catarroja, which has already charged two former senior emergency officials from the regional government. This contrasts sharply with the stance of the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV), which unanimously refused to investigate Mazón, ruling that he had no specific "duty and obligation" to guarantee citizen safety under the law and that his participation in the ES-Alert decision was not proven. The court nonetheless described his conduct as "reprehensible" socially and politically.

Broader social unrest joins the march

Saturday's protest was reinforced by a column of families and teachers participating in an indefinite strike in non-university public education, now entering its third week. Their presence underscored a widening front of social discontent in the region, merging labour grievances with the victims' quest for accountability.

Reconstruction or emergency works?

Beyond the political and judicial battles, the associations are pressing for immediate emergency infrastructure works rather than long-term reconstruction projects, which they fear could take decades. The demand reflects a deep frustration with the pace of institutional response and a determination to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.