The president of the Diputación de València, Vicent Mompó, publicly apologised on 8 September 2026 “to society in general” for a tweet directed at the Secretary General of the PSPV and Minister for Science Diana Morant At the same time, he urged Morant to “stop portraying herself as a victim”, and said: “A política se viene llorado.”
The row was sparked by a post on the X platform on 4 September, in which Mompó described the minister as the prime minister’s “llepaculs” Pedro Sánchez and added: “No vales para nada, así de claro.” The wording was widely quoted and prompted criticism from the opposition in the Comunidad Valenciana, which called for a clear apology and political consequences.
On Monday, Mompó acknowledged that his choice of words had been inappropriate, but rejected the accusation that his remarks were “machista”. He warned of the “trivialisation” of violence against women if every harsh political criticism were automatically placed in this category. He justified his sharp tone by citing earlier controversies over Morant’s comments on the response to the DANA of 29 October 2024 in the region; he had taken responsibility on the ground at the time, while in his view Morant had not been sufficiently involved. This is his account of events and is disputed by the other side.
PSPV representatives described the tweet as degrading and disrespectful towards a public office-holder. Socialists immediately called for the insults to be withdrawn and for personnel consequences. Some in conservative local politics, however, considered Mompó’s subsequent apology sufficient or defended the substance of his original criticism of Morant. No specific disciplinary measures against Mompó had been announced by the time of publication.
The incident, which began on Valencia has once again reignited the nationwide debate over standards of conduct in political disputes. It also raises the question of how gender-based labels are used in conflicts and where legitimate, even fierce, criticism ends. While Mompó has attempted to defuse the conflict formally with his apology, the dispute over the limits of political language and the responsibility of senior public officials for the public climate continues. Further responses from the parties, particularly the Partido Popular and the PSPV, are expected.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).