Carlos Mazón faces false testimony case amid Valencia coalition with Vox

The Valencian Socialist Party (PSPV) has submitted WhatsApp messages exchanged on the night of the October 29, 2024 DANA storm between regional president Carlos Mazón and Valencia mayor María José Catalá. The messages show Mazón acknowledging “decenas seguro ya” (dozens for sure) of victims, contradicting his earlier sworn testimony before the parliamentary investigation commission and strengthening a false‑testimony lawsuit now before the Spanish Supreme Court. The communications, provided voluntarily by Catalá, could lead to criminal proceedings and heightened political pressure on Mazón and the People’s Party (PP).

The scandal unfolds against the backdrop of a three‑year coalition between the People’s Party of the Valencian Community (PPCV) and Vox that secured Mazón’s 2021 investiture. The agreement granted Vox ministries in culture, agriculture, and justice, and enabled legislation reflecting its agenda, such as the Law of Concordia and opposition to the European Green Deal. After Mazón’s fall, his successor Juanfran Pérez Llorca retained Vox’s support to form a new regional government, demonstrating the coalition’s lasting influence despite Vox’s earlier withdrawal from other regional administrations.