An accident that attacks the heart of the Spain Brand at the worst moment for Sanchez
BarcelonaWhile awaiting the final death toll of the accident involving the Spanish high-speed rail in Toledo, some conclusions can already be drawn. The main one is that the fact it occurred just nine months after the Adamuz tragedy deals a very hard blow to one of the pillars upon which Spain has built its international image in recent years: the most extensive high-speed rail network in Europe and the second in the world, only behind China. The so-called Marca España (Spain Brand) is based on the projection of a modern and competitive country, with modern infrastructure and a firm commitment to sustainability and clean energy. All these aspects converge in the Spanish high-speed rail, which is now being called into question. The images of the accident are currently circulating throughout the world, leading newscasts due to their spectacular nature in broad daylight. A nightmare for the managers of Renfe and Adif.
From a political point of view, the accident comes at the worst possible time for a Pedro Sánchez who was starting to climb in the polls. Even if it turns out to be human error, the accident also attacks the heart of any executive, which is management excellence. No matter how much the Spanish government strives from now on to counter the right's narrative, it is very difficult to believe that the two accidents were pure coincidence. Many things must have failed in a structure that has, at the very top, a minister who is not exactly low-profile. Indeed, Óscar Puente is not just any minister or one with a technical profile; he is a battering ram of 'Sanchismo' who fights every day on social media with the opposition. He is not, therefore, a fuse that Sánchez can easily do without. And there is no doubt that the accident will force Puente to step away from the campaign and adopt a more institutional profile, which leaves the PSOE without one of its main assets.
In short, if the riots were already placing Sánchez and the left in an uncomfortable situation, the Toledo accident makes things even more difficult for the Spanish president. For the moment, the PP's reaction has been measured, but Vox's has not. And it is foreseeable that over the coming days the two parties will converge on the message that Sanchismo is not only a disaster in political terms, but that it represents a danger to people's lives. Ignoring, of course, the precedent of Carlos Mazón with the DANA.
