Morant Criticises Mazón for Absence in Alicante During Santa Faz

Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities and PSPV Secretary General, Diana Morant, alongside Compromís spokesperson in Les Corts, Joan Baldoví, have both described the absence of the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, from the Santa Faz Pilgrimage in Alicante 2025 as a 'democratic anomaly' due to his institutional trip to the United States to discuss the situation of Valencian companies affected by tariffs.

Speaking to the media on Thursday at the doors of the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolás, before starting the Peregrina, Morant emphasised that 'there are people who cannot be on the ground', referring to Mazón, who 'cannot even be in his city with the people he governs, precisely because the people do not want him'.

The minister and leader of the Valencian socialists reiterated that this is a 'democratic anomaly' and that there has never been an 'institutional crisis' like this in the Valencian Community, 'due to the negligence and poor management of the Consell' during the storm on October 29, 'which caused and continues to cause so much pain, but above all abandonment to the victims'.

'The President has had to find a new excuse not to be on the street, with the street and with the people. He does not want to hear the voice of the people, a people who shout that they have had enough of lies and excuses and want to turn the page and look to the future, because they want to recover from this crisis that was and is the storm,' Morant emphasised.

Additionally, she referred to the management of former Consell leader Ximo Puig during the 2019 storm in Vega Baja: 'You know what it means to have a president at the forefront of the emergency and what it means not to have one, which is what happened with Mazón'.

In this regard, she continued by exemplifying that the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the central government have been and are 'at the forefront' of situations like the 'crisis' that began last Monday after the power outage, which was 'unprecedented', but which 'had a responsible, diligent and effective response' from the state administration 'and which contrasts greatly with what Mazón did not do here in the Valencian Community'.

Morant stressed that the government is 'here on the street with the people of Alicante celebrating life, but also at the forefront of emergencies, as always, contrasting with someone who is neither here nor expected'.

For his part, Baldoví highlighted the 'authentic anomaly' and 'shame' that, in his opinion, it represents that Mazón did not attend the Santa Faz Pilgrimage. He believes that the head of the Consell is 'running away' and 'has invented' the trip to the United States. 'Normal people can be here,' he added in response to media questions, before starting the Peregrina, at the doors of San Nicolás.

In this line, the Compromís spokesperson in the Valencian parliament emphasised that a president 'who cannot be in his city on one of its most important days does not deserve' to be at the head of the regional administration.

According to Baldoví, Mazón 'clearly cannot set foot on the street' and 'runs away from his own people'. Therefore, he continued, 'he cannot continue even one more minute being president nor continue representing all the people of Alicante and, ultimately, all Valencians'.