Óscar Puente announced his resignation before the Spanish Congress, six days after the crash between two high-speed trains that claimed the lives of at least 69 people near Madrid.
It was from the Parliament podium that Óscar Puente chose to make his decision public. The Spanish Transport Minister announced his resignation on Wednesday, following a hearing dedicated to the circumstances of the railway disaster that occurred on October 28 near Urda, a locality south of Madrid. The collision, which caused at least 69 deaths and dozens of injuries, had put pressure on Pedro Sánchez’s government from the first hours after the tragedy.
« A Transport Minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of such severity in less than a year, » Puente said, also referring to a fatal accident that occurred last January in Andalusia. The minister specified that he made his decision immediately after the October 28 disaster but waited several days before making it official.
The Urda tragedy happened when a high-speed train operated by the public company Renfe rear-ended another stopped train belonging to the private operator Iryo. Audio recordings broadcast in Spanish media shortly after the disaster fueled questions about human and organizational failures. Three conversations captured between the Madrid control center and two drivers seem to indicate that a high-speed train was authorized to proceed while another train was immobilized on the track about 25 kilometers ahead.
Pressure on Puente had intensified in recent days, with opposition parties demanding his resignation, joined by some allies of the governing coalition. During his parliamentary hearing, the minister presented new railway safety measures before announcing his departure. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promised that authorities would « go to the bottom of every detail of this tragedy. »
Respond to the article
Be the first to comment on this article.