Pedro Sánchez responded this Tuesday to the serious incidents of last Sunday in Paiporta by presenting a more presidential image at the Moncloa Palace. He avoided political disputes and focused on presenting a plan for direct aid to those affected by the catastrophic floods, promising to dedicate €10.6 billion in the first package to those who have lost their homes, businesses, or ability to work. He is attempting to regain political initiative after being blamed for the disaster by some of the public and right-wing media, despite the crisis being led by the Valencian regional president, Carlos Mazón.
Mazón had initially tried to shift responsibility onto the central government but then remained silent in response to Sánchez’s plan. There have been calls for the government to take charge of the crisis, not only from the right but also from Sánchez’s allies like the Valencian nationalists of Compromís and Podemos. However, Sánchez defended the idea of “co-governance” prompted by the pandemic, advocating for the autonomy of the regions. The tension seems to have decreased after the turbulent events on Sunday, with the focus shifting to the need for new state budgets to accommodate the large expenditure of the reconstruction plan.
Sánchez did not directly appeal to the PP, but Feijóo’s team quickly rejected any approval of the budget. The aid package of €10.6 billion will go into effect immediately and will be later ratified by the Congress with likely support from the PP. However, the negotiations on the state budgets continue to be a contentious issue. Additionally, there is ongoing criticism from the PP regarding the ethics of the PSOE, with the parliamentary spokesman of the PP accusing them of not interrupting the appointment of future RTVE directors to attend to the crisis in Valencia.
The campaign of disinformation by the far-right, including baseless claims of hundreds of hidden corpses in Valencia, continues to escalate. These false claims have spread to mainstream media, such as a television program on Cuatro, and have been reiterated in the Parliament by the Vox party. Despite the lack of evidence, such disinformation campaigns persist, causing unwarranted panic among the public. The search for victims in the flooded areas has resulted in the recovery of additional bodies, further adding to the tragic toll of the floods.
