Bon dia. Thousands marched in silence on Saturday evening on the second anniversary of the 2024 DANA, the severe flood event that struck the region two years ago. Halloween threats of unrest in Valencia fizzled as police detained members of the online group Blocus. Rain is forecast this week, with Tuesday and Wednesday the most unstable days, reports Levante-EMV.
Dates to Watch:
- 3-4 November: Rain forecast, watch for weather alerts
- 11 November: General strike, possible protests
- 29 November: General election
City & Politics
Thousands march in silence for DANA victims
Thousands gathered on Saturday evening for a march by DANA victims, Las Provincias reported. The protest was peaceful and demanded accountability for the failure to send the 2024 flood warning until it was too late. People attended despite the Mayor’s advice to stay away from the city center. A day earlier, officials in Valencia held a minute of silence for DANA victims and for those killed in the train accident in Urda.
In Spanish: Silencio, dignidad y búsqueda de justicia en la marcha de las víctimas de la dana dos años después (Las Provincias)
General strike set for 11 November
Spain’s unions are organizing for a 24-hour general strike on 11 November, across all economic sectors. Unions are demanding more access to affordable housing, wage increases of as much as 7%, and reduced working hours, among other demands. The strike was triggered by the housing crisis protests that remain entrenched in city centers across Spain, including Valencia.
In English: General strike of November 11: who is calling it, how long it lasts, and what the reasons are (Democrata)
Parties finalize Valencia election lists
Valencia Plaza reported that the main parties have finalized their candidate lists for Valencia ahead of the 29 November general election. The conservative PP and the far-right Vox are coordinating candidacies, withdrawing from some districts to back the strongest candidate in each. ABC reported that the PP has booked Valencia’s bullring for an event with party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo days before the vote.
In Spanish: Así quedan las listas por Valencia de los principales partidos para las generales del 29N (Valencia Plaza)
City & Security
Halloween unrest threats fizzle
Social media threats of havoc on Halloween did not materialize in Valencia this weekend. Extra police secured the city center, and shops closed early and boarded up their glass. National Police arrested members of Blocus, the anonymous online group calling for violence, including its alleged ringleader, as reported by RTVE. Police seized some weapons and drugs, but most of the city center was quiet. Las Provincias reported 22 arrests in Valencia on Halloween night.
In Spanish: Un amplio despliegue policial sofoca la amenaza de saqueos de ‘Blocus’ en una Valencia blindada (Las Provincias)
City & Transport
High-speed train crash: new details
El País reported that a Madrid-Seville AVE high-speed train hit a stationary Iryo train near Toledo at around 200 km/h. The paper reconstructed a chain of failures: signaling went down, the control center let trains resume at full speed, and nobody noticed the stopped train for 17 minutes. It was the second catastrophic high-speed crash in under a year. A later El País report said controllers at Atocha station told the AVE to follow the full-speed protocol instead of the 40 km/h “on sight” one, and never registered that the Iryo was still stopped ahead. Ministor for Transportation, Oscar Puente, will testify to Congress on Tuesday about the fatal accident.
In Spanish: ¿Por qué chocaron los trenes? Tres fallos catastróficos que han costado 68 vidas (El País Valencia)
Adif left billions in EU funds unspent
El Correo published an investigation into how EU funds were spent at Adif, Spain’s rail infrastructure authority. It found that management shortcomings left billions of euros in European money unspent. The findings tie into ongoing questions about the safety of the rail network.
In Spanish: El déficit de gestión de Adif deja sin ejecutar miles de millones de dinero europeo (El Correo)
City & Economy
Home sales fall while prices climb
Valencia Plaza reported, citing Notary Council data, that home sales in the Valencia region fell 14% year on year in August, against 9.8% nationally. That was the fourth-biggest drop in Spain, after Navarre, the Balearics and Aragon. July sales were down 19.1%, against 11.1% nationally. The average price per square meter rose 18.2% to 1,958 euros, compared with 12.8% across Spain. Only Asturias, Cantabria (both 23.6%) and Murcia (20.6%) rose faster.
In Spanish: Las compras de viviendas siguen cayendo en la Comunitat más que en España y los precios se disparan (Valencia Plaza)
For more on Valencia’s wealthiest neighborhoods, Mireille Morejon crunched the latest INE numbers: How Rich Is Your Neighbour? Valencia’s Richest Neighbourhoods
Foreign students can work while studying
Levante-EMV reported that a change in immigration policy now lets foreign students in the Valencia region work up to 30 hours a week, as long as it does not interfere with their studies. Previously, students needed to prove at least three years of residency to obtain a work permit.
In Spanish: El cambio en Extranjería que permite trabajar a los estudiantes extranjeros en la Comunitat Valenciana sin esperar a terminar los estudios (Levante-EMV)
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, continues to break records in Spain. According to the latest data from the investment fund association Inverco, the firm managed nearly €66 billion in Spain at the end of the third quarter, representing over 16% of the entire domestic market.
In Spanish: El gigante mundial BlackRock, de récord en récord en la gestión de activos de inversión en España (Valencia Plaza)
City & Culture
Sculptor Miquel Navarro dies
Valencian sculptor Miquel Navarro died on Friday, Las Provincias reported. The paper described him as the most important Valencian sculptor. His Pink Panther sculpture near Parc Central is one of his best-known public works. Levante-EMV looked at his legacy, from the Pink Panther sculpture to the Parotet and works in Mislata.
In Spanish: Muere Miquel Navarro, el escultor valenciano más importante (Las Provincias)
Levante-EMV looks back at when Valencia was the capital of the Second Republic. From 7 November 1936 for nearly a year, Valencia was the capital of the Republican government opposing Franco, receiving thousands of refugees from Madrid and Andalusia, hosting foreign embassies, and became a hotbed of intellectual and political activity. Even as the advance of Franco’s forces stifled daily life. A companion piece includes what has become of the buildings and streets that buzzed with political activity during that time.
In Spanish: Entre ministros y bombas: los casi doce meses en que València fue capital de la II República (Levante-EMV)
Ruzafa Market photo competition
The Ruzafa District Council is holding it’s 2nd annual photo marathon. Residents can register to take part in the photo competition that takes place on 7 November. The theme of this year’s competition is the Ruzafa Market as a communal meeting place. Participants must register by Tuesday, 3 November in advance to take part. See the Ayuntamiento link for more details.
In Spanish: Un maratón fotográfico premiará las mejores imágenes del Mercat de Russafa (Ayuntamiento)
Pont de Valencia Sources: Levante-EMV, Las Provincias, El País, Valencia Plaza, ABC, El Correo, RTVE, Democrata
