Spain faces one of its worst tragedies. The DANA has left hundreds dead, an undetermined number missing, devastated towns where aid has not yet arrived or is insufficient and an obvious administrative lack of coordination. But why does it take so long for help to arrive? Or why hasn’t the state of alarm been declared? In this video, we are going to try to explain it.
Who runs the aid operation?
It must be said that currently the rescue and aid operation is under the command of the Government of the Generalitat Valenciana directed by the popular Carlos Mazón. In fact, the head general of the UME, Francisco Javier Marcos, explained that the armed forces prepared in advance, but acted when they received the “corresponding authorization” from the Generalitat.
Beyond current direction and management, what legal tools are there in situations like this? The law allows the central government to declare the state of alarm in extreme situations, such as major floods. It also contemplates that the affected autonomous community can request this declaration and, if so, maintain control of the situation.
The Organic Law 4/1981, of June 1, on states of alarm, exception and siegeindicates verbatim the following: “When the Competent authority be the President of an Autonomous Community may require the collaboration of the State Security Bodies and Forceswho will act under the direction of their natural commands”.
The Generalitat Valenciana, led by Mazoncould have requested the state of alarm and even maintained control, but so far it has not done so. Nor has the central government taken the initiative to decree it, therefore not mediating due to Mazón’s lack of leadership.
Emergency of national interest
Another legal option would be declare the emergency of national interest. In this case, management would fall directly to the Ministry of the Interior, centralizing the response. Although this possibility was considered, it has not been implemented, supposedly, to avoid an institutional clash between the central government and the Generalitat.
But is centralizing management the most effective answer? Both the Government and the Generalitat are at no. Sánchez has defended this, appealing to the autonomous state and co-governance with the Generalitat.
However, parties like United Left, We Can and his own People’s Party They defend that the central government assume the powers either via a state of alarm or via a declaration of emergency of national interest. “We continue to request, as we did from day one, the declaration of a national emergency and if it is decided, you have our support to approve an urgent aid package,” defended Feijóo.
This scenario would take the reins away from Mazonwhose management is in question. Especially for late sending the risk alert when the citizens were already suffering from the tremendous disaster.
Now, the popular leader slips the bullet and points to the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation not to warn. However, hydrographic alerts correspond to the regional emergency services. And the Generalitat already had information from the AEMET warning of the seriousness of DANA.
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