Valencia court update 2026: Why Judge Ruiz Tabarro ruled out criminal activity by Carlos Mazón in deadly Dana floods
Court confirms ex-president had no legal obligation to trigger emergency alerts; council spokesperson Ruth Merino also called to provide testimony ·
Gonzalo Bosch y Álex Serrano López
Valencia
Wednesday, 25 March 2026, 16:24
Ex-president (2023-2025) of Valencia regional government, Carlos Mazón, has been cleared of wrongdoing during the Dana storm in 2024.
He has since been summoned by Judge Nuria Ruiz Tabarro of the Valencian court of justice to testify as a witness in the investigation. This case is being handled by Catarroja court of instruction no.3.
The investigation of the Dana storm tragedy focuses on the management of the catastrophic floods. The court is investigating potential criminal negligence by authorities that could have prevented the deaths of over 200 people in Valencia.
It was ruled that no evidence of criminal activity on Mazón’s part was found, said the judge.They concluded that he could not “be held accountable by inaction as he did not occupy a legal position that required him to act”.
The Tragedy: October 29, 2024
The storm was one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern European history, characterised by "extraordinary" rainfall that exceeded a year's worth of water in less than eight hours in some areas.
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Death Toll: 223–237 fatalities (official counts vary slightly by region).
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Missing Persons: As of 2026, a small number of people remain officially missing.
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Impact Zone: 78 municipalities in Valencia (Horta Sud being "ground zero"), plus parts of Albacete and Málaga.
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Economic Damage: Estimated at over €11 billion in insured and public infrastructure losses.
Since Mazón is no longer considered a potential suspect, the judge has explained that his testimony may help shed light on the events that took place, particularly regarding the timing of public emergency alerts.
This follows previous court documents dated October 16 2025, which included suggestions to summon journalist Mirabel Vilaplana, who met Mazón on the day of the storm and may have overheard important information about the emergency coordination body, Cecopi and their actions during the emergency.
A second document stated that Mazón could only be formally investigated by the high court as a protected individual and if his actions, or lack of, were presented as a result of delays to public warnings and the decision-making of the Cecopi.
With the court having since ruled out that Mazón had any influence in sending the emergency alert, the judge now deems it important to summon him to testify. The judge emphasised that any evidence, such as messages or phone calls from that day, would be contributed voluntarily.
Further testimonies requested
The judge has also agreed to hear testimony from the council spokesperson during the tragedy, Ruth Merino; they have also requested that various mayors voluntarily come forward with a list of their calls and messages from October 29.
In a separate ruling, the court has asked an association to deposit 6,000 euros in order to take part in the case as a public prosecution.
The judge also agreed to summon the deputy director of emergencies of the regional government to clarify his previous testimony and asked the former minister of justice, under investigation, to carry out a handwriting test on a written document provided by the aforementioned deputy director general as part of ongoing evidence analysis.
