The session in the Cortes was tense as members debated amendments to the Generalitat’s budget. What should have been a routine sequence of ups and downs escalated into a clash between the vice president and the Minister of Culture and Sports. Vicente Barrera, a PSPV deputy, encountered a disruptive moment when José Chulvi, the top PSPV representative on the Consell, interrupted with a provocative gesture and presented Barrera with a document titled Honorary Censor of the Valencian Community.
“Congratulations, Mr. Barrera, for receiving the diploma of Honorary Censor of the Valencian Community,” Chulvi proclaimed during a speech defending the minister’s proposals to revise the department’s accounts. The Alicante-born lawmaker produced a sheet bearing Barrera’s name and the honorary title for all to see.
Chulvi initially failed to deliver the paper after his first approach but completed the act on a second attempt. What PSPV colleagues described as a violent act followed. The Alicante representative moved toward Barrera’s chair and handed over the diploma. Barrera signaled for him to step back toward his seat, and witnesses in the chamber recalled that he described the exchange as rude.
Accounts diverge depending on whom one asks. Testimonies from those on the Consell floor say Barrera urged Chulvi to leave while the minister’s side reports that Chulvi persisted in laughter, calling the exchange a provocation. According to the left benches, Barrera touched Chulvi with a small push and motioned toward the seat with a finger, while executive-side sources deny any physical contact.
Observers note that Mazón’s vice president has drawn comparisons to an ultra-violent persona in certain moments of parliamentary theater. A social media post from the PSPV-PSOE captured the moment with a sharp critique, stating, “You are a censor, and we are not afraid of your arrogance.”
Regardless of the competing narratives, the incident energized the plenary session and spread across social networks. The PSPV used its official channel to condemn Barrera’s conduct, calling him an example of extreme aggression and asserting that truth was being avoided. Soon after, deputies from both the socialist side and Compromís voiced their opposition to Barrera’s actions and stood in solidarity with Chulvi. On the other hand, the PP was accused of infiltrating the institutions with a group described as violent ultras, a claim raised by Valencian party members in response to the events.