Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced his resignation during an appearance before the Permanent Deputation of Spain’s Congress, where he addressed political responsibility following the Urda accident. He also said he would withdraw from the November 29 election and would not lead the congressional list for Valladolid.
Puente said he made the decision in the first minutes after learning of the tragedy, while travelling to Adif’s 24-hour operations centre. In his view, a Spanish transport minister could not remain in office after two accidents of this severity in less than a year, regardless of whether they were related or whether he bore direct responsibility.
He described his resignation as a matter of political dignity, consistency and empathy with the victims. Puente said he had waited until initial inquiries were under way, measures to support victims had been adopted and steps had been taken to improve railway safety in the short term. He called his decision the only one he would have been willing to make.
Addressing the victims and their families, Puente acknowledged that his grief could not be compared with theirs. He invoked the resignation of Portugal’s transport minister Jorge Coelho after a bridge collapse in 2001 that killed 59 people, citing Coelho’s words: “Guilt cannot die a spinster.”
Puente said his departure was intended to uphold standards in politics and contribute to public confidence in democracy. He also thanked his family, party members, colleagues in government and the staff of the Transport Ministry, and urged Socialist Party members to remain united.
In closing, he said the country was facing a moment of collective grief, but urged people not to give in to despair or allow others to use that pain for political gain. He argued that public services are not strengthened through cuts and said he hoped Spain would meet the challenges ahead.
Sources: elDiario.es.