The King and Sánchez will greet relatives of victims without Mazón before the funeral

The King and Queen, along with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will hold a private meeting this afternoon with representatives of the families of victims of the DANA storm before the start of the state funeral in Valencia. The meeting will take place in an adjoining room of the Science Museum at around 5:45 p.m., minutes before the official ceremony begins, and will be held without the presence of Carlos Mazón. This detail, revealed this morning while the president was making an official statement, has caused unease at the Palau de la Generalitat Valenciana (the seat of the Valencian government).

The presence of the president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, had added a delicate element to the afternoon's protocol. Several victims' associations had expressly requested that he not attend, although he will ultimately be present. To minimize tensions and preserve the focus on the victims, the government has opted for a discreet greeting from the authorities without the Valencian president, according to government sources.

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The gesture is part of a last-minute modification introduced by the central government to the program of the tribute, dedicated to the victims of the devastating storm of October 29, 2024, which ravaged large areas of the province of Valencia and left 229 dead —237 according to the count that will be read at the event— in addition to tens of thousands of victims.

The funeral, which will last approximately one hour, will consist of several segments woven together by RTVE journalist Lara Síscar, a native of Gandia and one of the reporters who covered the tragedy on the ground. Síscar has acknowledged that the days following October 29th were “among the most difficult” of her professional career.

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During the tribute, the names of the 237 deceased will be read aloud, and a floral offering will be made accompanied by a performance of the Cant dels Ocells . A minute of silence is also planned, along with three musical performances: the Royal March at the beginning; the Adagio from the Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by a sextet from the RTVE Orchestra, to close the ceremony; and the piece Mon Vetlatori , performed by the singer María Bertomeu, known as 'La María'.

The speeches will be given by relatives of three victims: Andrea Ferrari Canut from Valencia, whose mother Eva died after being swept away by a wave in the Reva industrial park; Naiara Chuliá Beitia, a relative of the victim from Bétera; and Virginia Ortíz Riquelme, linked to the victim from Letur (Albacete).