Spain court rejects trial for ex-govt leader over deadly 2024 floods / Photo: Jose Jordan - AFP/File
Spain court rejects trial for ex-govt leader over deadly 2024 floods
A Spanish court on Monday rejected a bid to put Valencia's former regional president on trial over his handling of deadly 2024 floods, ruling there was no evidence of a legal violation.
Carlos Mazon, a member of the conservative Popular Party (PP), resigned in November 2025 after intense scrutiny over his actions on the day of the disaster, when authorities delayed sending mobile alerts while he spent hours having lunch with a journalist.
Judge Nuria Ruiz Tobarra, who is investigating the regional government’s response, had recommended trying Mazon with negligence, saying his decision to "retreat to a private dining room when faced with an extremely serious situation" was "a decisive factor in the deadly human toll".
The judge referred the case to the Superior Court of Justice of Valencia, which has the authority to prosecute Mazon because he retains legal protections as a member of the regional parliament.
The court said Monday that Mazon violated no emergency management law, which does not assign specific duties to the regional president.
The decision can be appealed and does not prevent the judge from continuing her investigation and from making future prosecution requests.
In addition to claiming 230 lives, thousands of homes were damaged across the Mediterranean region when a year's worth of rain fell in just a few hours on Oct. 29, 2024.
Families of victims of Spain's deadliest natural disaster in a generation expressed outrage at a state funeral a year later, shouting "murderer" and "coward” as Mazon arrived.
A.Swartekop--HHA
