The regional secretary of the Presidency with Carlos Mazón as president of the Generalitat Valenciana on the fateful October 29, 2024, Cayetano García Ramírez, appeared this Tuesday at the commission of inquiry into the management of the dana which is being developed in the Congress of Deputies. The one who was number two in the presidency assured, in response to questions from the Compromís deputy Águeda Micó, that on the afternoon of the dana he did not know where former President Mazón was on the afternoon of October 29, 2024 – while the former head of the Consell was at a meal with journalist Maribel Vilaplana at the El Ventorro restaurant in the Valencian capital.
“I did not know where I was that day or any other; I did not know the president’s agenda. I am needed for meetings,” said García Ramírez, who explained that that day he took in his car Mazón’s chief of staff, José Manuel Cuenca, to Beniganim and a decree of aid to those affected by the floods that have seriously affected the town of Utiel since that morning: “In the car I heard the mayor from Utiel to La Ser with Carles Francino explaining the situation there; I called the councilor (Pradas), who confirmed to me that the UME had been deployed and that she was in contact with the mayor.
The former regional secretary of the Presidency said he had not spoken with Mazón, although he sent him a message through WhatsApp with technical questions about helping those affected; that he did not know that Cuenca was in contact with Salomé Pradas; He insisted he played “no role” within the dana, had no power in an emergency and was not part of Cecopi. “They called me to tell me that the province of Valencia was going to be locked down at 7:43 p.m., I called the GeAnaralitat Lawyers’ Office and referred the advisor to the Lawyers’ Office.” In this sense, he clarified that he had qualified as “limiting the mobility of 2.5 million people”, therefore requiring legal certainty, “I have not made any assessment”, he judged.
García Ramírez defended his performance on the day of the dana, although he neglected to agree with Carlos Mazón: “I am proud of what I did, I do not speak on behalf of anyone.” Furthermore, he ruled that “in no case” did he give orders to any advisor or speak to any member of the Consell on behalf of the former president, “I never gave orders and it would not occur to me, because I am a subordinate body.”
The current regional secretary of Economy, who agreed to facilitate all his calls with José Manuel Cuenca, Salomé Pradas and Carlos Mazón on the day of the dana, reported that he had the first news that there had been deaths during Mazón’s appearance at 12:30 a.m. on October 30.
In response to questions from Vox deputy Ignacio Gil Lázaro, the former regional secretary of the Presidency reaffirmed the argument defended by the far-right formation and the Popular Party according to which the central government should have taken charge of the emergency on the day of the dana and filed a complaint against the Executive of Pedro Sánchez. Precisely, the PSOE criticized him for refusing to evaluate the actions of the Consell but, on the other hand, for criticizing the actions of the central government.
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