After train collision in Spain, Transport Minister announces his resignation

Less than a month before the anticipated legislative elections of November 29, Pedro Sánchez must face the departure of his Minister of Transport. Óscar Puente announced his resignation to MPs on Tuesday, six days after the Urda train disaster, which left 69 dead in central Spain. This second serious accident of the year increases the pressure on the left-wing government, already shaken by several crises and faced with unfavorable polls.

The minister was already in office when two high-speed trains collided in Adamuz, Andalusia, which left 46 dead on January 18. “A Minister of Transport in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of such seriousness in less than a year, however different they may be, and whether or not I bear direct responsibility,” he said. He invoked “a question of political dignity, coherence and empathy towards the victims”.

A resignation after the Council of Ministers

According to the first elements of the investigation, the Urda tragedy, which occurred on October 28, began with a computer failure which forced several trains to stop. An erroneous instruction was then transmitted from the control center in Madrid, asking one of the trains to resume running at normal speed. It collided head-on with a convoy stopped on the tracks.

After several times ruling out a departure, Óscar Puente assured Tuesday evening that he had decided to resign “in the first minutes following the tragedy”. The same morning, at the end of the Council of Ministers, he presented an “extraordinary plan to strengthen the security of the high-speed network” and an aid system for survivors and victims’ families. He claimed to have neither taken nor omitted any political decision that contributed to causing the accident.

Sánchez welcomes Puente's choice

Pedro Sánchez praised the choice of this relative on X: “Óscar Puente assumed his responsibilities, provided solutions and, then, chose to withdraw. Out of dignity. By own will. Out of respect for the victims and for the progressive project. » The head of government also defended his minister by contrasting his commitment with the attitude of his political adversaries. The minister had already been criticized by the opposition after the January disaster.

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The People's Party, for its part, considered this resignation too late. His spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, reacted on The deputies to whom the minister spoke were gathered in a reduced formation since the dissolution announced ahead of the early elections.