Carlos Mazón, 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 Mazón 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".
READ ALSO: Valencia leader called 'murderer' at flood memorial in Spain
The judge referred the case to the Superior Court of Justice of Valencia, which has the authority to prosecute Mazón because he retains legal protections as a member of the regional parliament.
The court said Monday that Mazón 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.
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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 October 29th, 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 Mazón arrived.
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