Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, announced his resignation on Tuesday in the wake of a devastating train crash near Urda in the central province of Toledo. The tragedy, which occurred last week, resulted in the deaths of 69 people and left approximately 200 others injured. Puente, a prominent member of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party, made the announcement during a session of the Permanent Deputation of the Congress of Deputies, the standing committee that represents the lower house during recesses.
Addressing the assembly, Puente framed his departure as an act of political responsibility, stating that stepping down was “good for the country and for democracy” and emphasizing, “It is not true that all politicians are the same.” He further confirmed he would not seek candidacy in the upcoming elections, expressing a desire to “live up to my party.”
The minister utilized his appearance to defend the safety of the Madrid-Seville high-speed line, the site of the disaster. “It is neither an abandoned nor a forgotten piece of infrastructure,” Puente asserted, highlighting a €780 million government-led renewal plan. He concluded his final address with a farewell: “I trust my country will live up to the occasion. I have tried to live up to it. Farewell.”
The Urda incident marks the second major rail disaster on the Madrid-Seville route this year, following a January derailment near Adamuz, Córdoba, that killed 46 people. Regarding the recent crash, Puente explained that the Adif-operated control centre had permitted the AVE high-speed train to proceed despite a failure in its LZB automatic safety system. A private Iryo train had been stationary further along the track, and the AVE traveled approximately 25 kilometres at speeds exceeding 160 km/h before the collision occurred. While defending the general reliability of the LZB system, the minister announced plans for new technology to bolster rail safety.
The resignation follows intense pressure from opposition parties. Ester Muñoz of the People’s Party (PP) argued that the minister’s primary duty “is not to explain fatal accidents, it is to prevent them,” while Vox spokesperson Pepa Millán accused Puente of “shirking his responsibilities.” Calls for his resignation had also come from the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and the Catalan party Junts. Meanwhile, concern over network safety remains high, with the Adif works council considering a strike for 17 November to demand improved safety measures.
