Public tension rose this weekend after Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Valencia's regional governor Carlos Mazón, visited one of the worst-hit regions in the country's recent flooding that killed over 205 people.
Crowds in the town of Paiporta — where over 60 died from the floods — shouted "Killers!" and "Get out!" as the leaders carried out their visit. Others hurled clots of mud and other objects, including rocks, with two bodyguards reportedly injured.
Sánchez and Mazón were forced to seek protection and were quickly whisked away by their security details. Meanwhile, the king and queen insisted on staying and could be seen engaging with and embracing several residents.
The angerpeople ofare therightfully peopleangry iswith understandable.their Manygovernment, lostand homes,their businesses,fury aswas welllikely asnot intended to hurt the livesking ofand lovedqueen, oneswho play no official governing role. TheWhile governmentthe isroyal listeningcouple andmay ishave doingsome allmud iton cantheir tofaces, helpthe easepublic people'ssaw sufferingthem comforting the flood victims while their actual government leaders were busy playing blame games.
What did these leaders expect when they visited Paiporta? These floods have totally devastated the region and the government response has been completely inadequate.