Three days after the tragic train accident in Urda, Toledo, which has claimed at least 69 lives, the People's Party (PP) has escalated its rhetoric to officially demand the resignation of Transport Minister Óscar Puente. Ester Muñoz, the party's campaign spokesperson, made this clear during an interview on RNE, asserting that it is obvious Puente must step down given that two fatal accidents have occurred on the same railway line.
Muñoz emphasized that the minister should leave his post before his scheduled appearance on Tuesday at the Permanent Deputation of Congress. She questioned the purpose of his attendance if he does not resign, noting that he remained in office following the previous Adamuz accident and appeared to mock the problems faced by Renfe and Adif. While PP members and party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo had previously hinted at the need for Puente's departure, Muñoz was the first to explicitly verbalize this demand.
The campaign spokesperson criticized the government's handling of the railway sector's liberalization process, stating that necessary resources were not allocated. Drawing parallels to corruption cases involving former minister José Luis Ábalos, Muñoz argued that many events within the Ministry of Transport were not aimed at improving service. She also suggested that the absence of General State Budgets throughout the legislature and the appointment of friends to technical positions may have contributed to the disaster, though she maintained that responsibilities extend beyond Puente.
The PP has registered a request for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to appear before the Permanent Deputation. However, Muñoz noted that since the chambers are dissolved due to upcoming general elections, it is up to the head of government to request his own appearance. She criticized the administration for years of avoiding responsibility despite "authentic disasters," arguing it is unreasonable for the government to remain entrenched without accountability for corruption or fatal accidents.
Shortly after Muñoz's statements, fellow PP campaign spokesperson Borja Sémper reinforced the call for higher-level accountability in an interview on Telecinco. Sémper argued that the focus should not be solely on Puente, but on Pedro Sánchez, who allowed him to become minister. He described the situation as indecent, claiming that years of political mismanagement have caused a majority of Spaniards to fear taking trains and distrust public services and government officials.
Sources: elDiario.es.