Spain: How our politicians have failed us

[DanielF]

 

Dear Forum,

I know most of you are very focused on the recent U.S. presidential election, but please, allow me to take your attention for a moment. I want to tell you what is happening in Spain right now and how furious I am with our politicians. They are the worst of the worst, and I can’t stay silent anymore.

About 20 days ago, in the region of Valencia, we had terrible flooding. It was so sudden and violent that it swept away cars, animals, and even people. Some managed to climb trees and waited there, stranded, in the middle of the night. Just imagine—a few hours before, it was a normal street, and now it was a sea. The next day looked like a disaster movie, with everything destroyed, mud and debris everywhere, and lives completely ruined.

But what makes me angrier is not just the flood itself but the total failure of the authorities. There was no warning about the flood. People didn’t know anything and were caught going about their daily lives. They ended up trapped in cars, on roofs, or swept away by the water. By 8 p.m., when the authorities finally issued a warning, it was already too late—hundreds of people were missing or dead.

And then, for 72 hours, nothing happened. No emergency response. No rescue teams. No army. People were left alone without food, drinking water, or help. The streets were dangerous at night, and many underground parking areas were completely flooded. It is feared that many bodies are still there, waiting to be discovered.

The only help came from volunteers. People from other parts of Spain organized themselves and brought food, water, and whatever they could for the victims. They worked hard to clear the mud and debris from the streets. But after days, the mud is now causing diseases because of the decomposing bodies and animals mixed in. These volunteers did everything they could, but it shouldn’t have been only them doing this.

Where were the authorities? Nowhere to be seen! There is an emergency branch of the army for situations like this, and they didn’t come. Firefighter teams from all over Spain were ready to go, but they were told not to. Even 200 French firefighters offered help, and it was rejected. Can you believe this? They abandoned the people completely!

Why? Because politics. The Valencia region is ruled by the conservative party, and the central government is ruled by the socialist party. Instead of working together to help, they decided to play their games. The regional government didn’t want to look incompetent, and the central government dragged their feet to make the other side look bad. People were dying, and these politicians were pointing fingers at each other!

Now they are doing something even worse: they are hiding the death count. They are delaying the numbers to manipulate the situation, waiting for the right moment to release the final figure. They are calculating how to use it for their political gain, like it is some kind of strategy game. It is so disgusting, like something from 1984.

I am so angry. How can these people be so cruel? So heartless? In a disaster like this, you would think they would put politics aside and help. But no—they care more about their own image than the lives of their citizens.

I know politicians are like this everywhere, but this is too much. These people are monsters. They don’t deserve respect. They don’t deserve to be in charge. They are the scum of the earth.

 

 

[Yimpa]

Thank you for sharing, Daniel. 

[PurpleTree]

Gosh i hate politics.

We need a guillotine back to strike some fear in their hearts.

Or eat a politician like the dutch did in the 1670s.

You guys have to work for the people, not against us. 

Thx friends

[Javfly33]

Sorry I am from my Spain and I think all this politic bashing is a complete distraction and BS. 

Spanish society is just not mature enough to Accept responsability for this kind of disasters (they usually just never happen) so they have constructed this narrative to feel in control.

This is not to deny that of course Im sure It could have been conducted better, but is obvious that if from the prevent disasters agency/department knew that that the flood would have such impact they would have warned.

[Alex4]

I’m from Spain as well. I have the feeling that the emergency wasn’t managed well, however, I also think we must accept that these natural disasters sometimes happen, and there’s little we can do about it. Maybe some lives could have been saved, but the disaster would still have been colossal. It’s a tragedy, but we must remember that nature is brutal.

Now, focusing more on your criticism of the whole political class in Spain, I disagree. We have the politicians we deserve, no more and no less. People in this country, both on the left and the right, are very polarized; you can’t have nuanced opinions. It has to be black or white, or else you get labeled into one side. Therefore, politicians feel obliged to act as the average voter tells them to, because if they don’t, they’ll be thrown out, and someone else will come who will do what the masses want. In Spain, we need to end political sectarianism, recognize when our side does wrong, and acknowledge when the opposition does well. I have voted conservative in the past, but it bothers me when people on the right insult our left-wing president. There’s no respect for the authorities.

[Davino]

The event was a clear sign of the incompetence of our politicians, which were unable to prevent the situation, nor to react properly and not even to assume responsability afterwards.