Óscar Puente has announced that he is resigning as transport minister and will not stand in the general election on November 29. He made the announcement at the end of a more than four-hour appearance before Congress, where he outlined details of the Urda accident and measures the government plans to introduce to strengthen high-speed rail safety.
The announcement came as a surprise after the government had backed Puente internally and ruled out his resignation. During his appearance, he maintained that he had neither made nor failed to make any decision with direct consequences for the causes of the accident.
Puente described his decision as one of “political dignity” and said he considered it positive for the country and democracy. He also said he had decided to resign in the hours following the accident, calling it a necessary measure rather than a drama. He said the greatest tragedy was that of the victims and their families.
Sources: elDiario.es.