Week in News: Rainy Reyes and Valencia’s Venezuelan Community

Bon dia! Despite the rainy weather, Valencia is pressing ahead with the Three Kings Parade (Cabalgata de Reyes Magos) today, according to Las Provincias. Roads will be closed along the procession route, which runs from the Puente de Flores through Porta de la Mar and Calle de la Pau, ending at Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Reminder: Tomorrow is a national holiday in Spain (Día de Reyes). Most shops and stores will be closed.

Weather Conditions

Storm Francis plunged temperatures and dumped more than 180 litres of rain, with snowfall reported in some parts of the Valencian Community, although the city of Valencia itself saw only mild rainfall, reports Las Provincias.

Politics

Venezuelan citizens living in Valencia are watching events unfolding in Venezuela with caution, Las Provincias reports. The city is believed to be home to several thousand Venezuelan residents.

Over the weekend, separate Venezuelan groups held spontaneous rallies in Plaza de la Virgen — some supporting the ouster of Nicolás Maduro, others demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces — according to Levante-EMV. Venezuelan opposition figures currently residing in Valencia have not officially organized any demonstrations, instead urging caution.

Meanwhile, the Joint DANA Commission will begin work on January 6, reports El País, in a renewed effort by the national and regional governments to coordinate rebuilding after the devastating 2024 floods.

Crime & Policing

Police are investigating the killing of a British man in Orihuela, who was apparently shot dead in his home, reports El País. Authorities are examining whether the case may be linked to other incidents involving British drug-trafficking gangs.

City & Community

Search and rescue teams in Indonesia have recovered the body of Fernando Martín, a Valencian father and coach of the Valencian women’s football team, near the Komodo Islands, reports Las Provincias. The family was on holiday when their boat sank during extreme weather. Two children remain missing after days of searching.

The Valencian Community’s population continues to grow, reaching a record of more than a million foreign nationals in 2025, writes Valencia Plaza. That growth has been concentrated in coastal towns, while many inland rural villages continue to lose residents. As Valencia Extra explains, large areas of farmland are being abandoned as agriculture struggles to remain profitable.

Benimaclet has emerged as the neighbourhood with the lowest average rent in Valencia, followed by Patraix and Jesús, according to Las Provincias — although rental prices have surged across the city over the past year.

More than 11 million tourists visited the Valencian Community last year, a new record, reports Valencia Extra.

And finally… the 2026 holiday calendar has been published, with four long weekends to enjoy this year, according to El Mundo.

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That’s it for this week’s news. I’ll be back on Thursday with Weekend Highlights.
Feliz Día de Reyes!