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Mazón opens before the judge of the dana: 41 deaths after 20.00 "without causality" and rejection of the "hypothesis Cuenca"
Spain🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/1/2026

Mazón opens before the judge of the dana: 41 deaths after 20.00 "without causality" and rejection of the "hypothesis Cuenca"

The article discusses the legal proceedings against former Valencia President Carlos Mazón, who is being investigated over the October 29, 2024, 'dana' disaster that killed 231 people. Mazón has provided his first testimony to the investigating judge, Nuria Ruiz Tobarra, after previously refusing to declare under oath. His defense team, led by lawyer Ignacio Gally, has submitted a 71-page document challenging the accusations against him. They argue that any potential delay in sending the ES-Alert message, attributed to his former chief of staff José Manuel Cuenca, could only be linked to 41 deaths occurring between 8:00 and 8:11 PM, not the total 231 fatalities. The defense dismisses the broader causal relationship between the delayed alert and the overall death toll, focusing solely on the timeframe they claim is relevant. The case centers on whether Mazón's actions or inactions contributed directly to these specific deaths.

Carlos Mazón, former president of the Valencian Government, has denied before the court in Catarroja that the delay in sending the Es-Alert warning contributed to the deaths caused by the flood on October 29, 2024, which claimed 231 lives. The legal defense of Mazón, led by attorney Ignacio Gally, submitted a 66-page document challenging the core argument of both the prosecution and the investigating judge, María Ruiz Tobarra. The defense argues that there is no proven causal link between the delayed alert and the fatalities. The legal team emphasized that to attribute the deaths to the delay, it would need to be demonstrated that receiving the alert at approximately 8:00 PM instead of 8:11 PM would have allowed individuals to take actions that could have prevented their deaths with near certainty. The defense stated that such proof is impossible to establish under criminal law standards, particularly when considering each victim individually. The submission reviewed evidence from the files of 42 of the 231 victims and concluded that no such causal connection exists. Mazón’s legal representatives requested the court to clarify whether, based on the current state of the investigation, there are any specific acts or positive facts attributable to Mazón or any ongoing lines of inquiry regarding potential criminal liability. They also asked if there is sufficient factual content to allow them to propose further investigative measures or evidence that could support his defense. The defense also challenged the arguments presented by Judge Ruiz Tobarra in her rulings. It pointed out that Mazón did not hold the position of guarantor of public safety at the time, a role that belonged to the regional minister Salomé Pradas. Therefore, he could not have committed the crime of omission. The legal team noted that there was no evidence that Mazón had issued instructions to alter the content of the Es-Alert message, which already had its essential configuration set by 7:45 PM. The technical discussion over including instructions related to upper floors was linked to debates among officials present or connected to the Center for Emergency Coordination (CECOPI), without Mazón's involvement, according to Gally. The defense also addressed messages exchanged between José Manuel Cuenca, former chief of staff to Mazón, and Salomé Pradas. These messages began at 7:54 PM, meaning they could not have influenced a decision made nine minutes earlier. There is no indication that Cuenca acted on Mazón’s orders when sending messages to Pradas. Cuenca himself explained that his opinions stemmed from a conversation with Cayetano García. The defense stressed that, given the chronology, any hypothetical intervention by Mazón could not have determined the initial Es-Alert message. The legal team highlighted that the responsibility for ensuring public safety rested with Pradas, who held the relevant authority. Mazón, as the head of government, did not have direct control over the issuance of emergency alerts. The defense argued that the focus should be on the roles and responsibilities of those directly involved in the decision-making process during the crisis. The case continues to unfold as the court reviews the submitted documents and evaluates the claims made by both sides. The outcome will depend on whether the court finds sufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the delayed alert and the fatalities, or if the defense's arguments hold up under scrutiny. The investigation into the management of the flood response remains active, with multiple lines of inquiry still open.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 3 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

3 reports

El Mundo logoEl MundoIndependent🔒CenterFactual 88Objective 829/1/2026
Carlos Mazón denies before the court that the delay of the Es-Alert caused the deaths of the dana

Ex-President of the Valencian Community Carlos Mazón is defending himself in court regarding the management of the dana storm that killed 231 people on October 29, 2024. Although he is not formally accused, the court has indicated there are sufficient grounds to investigate him. His legal team, led by Ignacio Gally, argues that the delay in sending the Es-Alert warning did not cause the deaths, emphasizing the need to prove a direct causal link between the delay and specific fatalities. They challenge the prosecutor’s arguments, asserting that Mazón was not responsible for citizen safety and that no evidence exists of him instructing changes to the alert system.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both the prosecution's case and the defense's counterarguments without overtly favoring one side. It reports on the legal proceedings and the arguments made by both parties, maintaining a balanced tone. The framing does not exhibit strong ideological leaning, focusing more on事实和

Why factuality (88): This article clearly states that Mazón has not been formally charged and outlines the legal reasoning behind his defense, emphasizing the lack of evidence linking the delayed Es-Alert to the deaths. It accurately reflects the current legal status and the arguments presented by his legal team, consis

Why objectivity (82): The tone remains neutral, presenting both the legal position of Mazón and the court's stance without taking sides. The language is formal and avoids emotional or biased phrasing, maintaining an objective approach throughout.

El País logoEl PaísIndependent🔒CenterFactual 87Objective 809/1/2026
Mazón rejects the causal link between the delay in sending the Es-Alert and the victims

The former president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, denies any causal relationship between the delay in sending the Es-Alert message warning the population about the danger of river and gully flooding on October 29, 2024, and the number of fatalities caused by that disaster. The article highlights Mazón’s rejection of claims linking the delayed alert to the loss of life, though it does not provide further details on the timeline of the alert or the specific circumstances of the incident.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a statement from a political figure denying a causal link but does not take a clear ideological stance or frame the issue in a biased manner. It reports on Mazón’s position without adding commentary or emphasizing one side over another.

Why factuality (87): The article confirms Mazón's denial of a causal link between the delayed Es-Alert and the fatalities, consistent with previous reports. It accurately summarizes the legal argument made by his defense team without introducing new or conflicting information.

Why objectivity (80): The article maintains a balanced perspective, focusing on the legal arguments rather than expressing personal opinion. While it emphasizes Mazón's position, it does so in a factual manner without overt bias.

elDiario.es logoelDiario.esIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 709/1/2026
Mazón opens before the judge of the dana: 41 deaths after 20.00 "without causality" and rejection of the "hypothesis Cuenca"

The article discusses the legal proceedings against former Valencia President Carlos Mazón, who is being investigated over the October 29, 2024, 'dana' disaster that killed 231 people. Mazón has provided his first testimony to the investigating judge, Nuria Ruiz Tobarra, after previously refusing to declare under oath. His defense team, led by lawyer Ignacio Gally, has submitted a 71-page document challenging the accusations against him. They argue that any potential delay in sending the ES-Alert message, attributed to his former chief of staff José Manuel Cuenca, could only be linked to 41 deaths occurring between 8:00 and 8:11 PM, not the total 231 fatalities. The defense dismisses the broader causal relationship between the delayed alert and the overall death toll, focusing solely on the timeframe they claim is relevant. The case centers on whether Mazón's actions or inactions contributed directly to these specific deaths.

Bias read (Center): While the article presents the defense's arguments, it does not overtly favor one side over another. It reports both the prosecution’s concerns regarding the delayed ES-Alert and the defense’s counterarguments without clear ideological slant. The tone remains objective, presenting facts and legal st

Why factuality (85): The article provides detailed information about Carlos Mazón’s legal defense, including references to specific messages between him and his former chief of staff, José Manuel Cuenca, and the 'hipótesis Cuenca' theory. It aligns with the cross-source consensus that Mazón denies responsibility for the

Why objectivity (70): The article frames Mazón’s defense in a way that suggests he is being accused, but also highlights the legal strategy of his team. While it remains neutral in tone, there is some emphasis on the potential implications of the 'hipótesis Cuenca' and the legal consequences, which may slightly lean towa

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