Feijóo appears this Monday before the Congressional commission on the Valencia crime
The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, is summoned this Monday before the Congressional commission that investigates the management of the dana that left 230 dead in the province of Valencia alone on October 29, 2024. He will be questioned almost a month after having testified as a witness before Judge Nuria Ruiz Tobarra, in charge of the investigation of a criminal case in which the former Minister of the Interior Salomé Pradas and the former regional secretary are accused. of Emilio Argüeso Emergencies.
The leader of the popular parties will submit to questions from the commissioners of the different parliamentary groups who, among other things, will ask him for explanations for having allowed Carlos Mazón to continue as president of the Generalitat and of the party in the Valencian Community after the catastrophe. The various spokespersons will also ask him for information about the messages he exchanged with Mazón on the day in question and for his statement on October 31, 2024 that he had been informed “in real time” by the then regional manager.
During his statement before the judge on January 9, Feijóo admitted that after the flood they could not “in any case” cause a political crisis. In his opinion, Mazón did not have to resign, but rather dedicate himself to reconstruction and manage to approve regional budgets. According to his story, it was one day after the state funeral for the victims, held one year after the tragedy, when Mazón confirmed that he was going to leave his position. Feijóo asked him if it was “a thoughtful decision” and Mazón told him yes. “Well, we had agreed to talk,” the popular leader replied, to which the then still president replied: “Well, I’m already telling you right now, this is my decision.”
Feijóo’s team frames this appearance in an electoral strategy of the PSOE to help its candidate, former minister Pilar Alegría, in the last week of the campaign for the Aragon elections this Sunday, February 8. “It is an electoral act of the PSOE of Aragon in Madrid to try to help Alegría,” sources from the party leadership assure. In addition, they say that Feijóo goes “calm” to that appearance because he will convey what he already explained before the Dana judge, although there are spokespersons such as the Republican Gabriel Rufián who will want to make “merits” because he represents the “new Sanchismo and is in the phase of gaining points,” according to sources close to the PP leader.
Before the judge, Feijóo admitted a contradiction and an error in his comment that Mazón had informed him since the Monday before the flood (which was actually a Tuesday). The various spokespersons intend to blame him for focusing that day on recommending Mazón to carry out “the communication initiative,” which he considered “key,” instead of asking him about the situation of citizens. Feijóo contacted Mazón via WhatsApp at 7:59 p.m. after receiving news via teletypes of the evolution of the rains and the president responded at 8:09 p.m. He also wrote to the president of Castilla la-Mancha, the socialist Emiliano García-Page, and to the Andalusian, Juanma Moreno.
Regarding Mazón’s meal at El Ventorro, he said he did not know what time the ‘former president’ left the restaurant. Furthermore, he defended that Mazón did not change his version of his activities that day, but rather made “specifications with minutes of the proceedings.” Feijóo also highlighted in his judicial statement the need to declare a national emergency, charged against the lack of information on the part of the Government, insisted that no one contacted him to inform him as president of the PP and explained that on the day of the flood he did not speak with Pradas or with anyone who was in the Cecopi.
Likewise, he argued that in these cases the decisions are made by the competent bodies, not the politicians, although they may make different decisions than those adopted by the administrative bodies. In any case, he pointed out that the management of emergencies is assumed by the department with powers in matters of civil protection.
After Feijóo’s appearance, already in the afternoon session, the Congressional investigation commission will receive María Amparo López Boluda, 112 call manager, to report on the performance of that service on the day of the tragedy. (EP)
