"Moral misery is total": end of the political truce after the Adamuz accident

Madrid"We have to fight about many things, but not about that." That's how a voice from the Moncloa Palace's inner circle summed up on Tuesday the cooperation between the Spanish government—led by the PSOE—and the Andalusian Regional Government—governed with an absolute majority by the PP—following the tragic train accident in Adamuz, which So far it has caused 42 deathsAnd it was a diagnosis shared by both parties involved: the Spanish government spokesperson, Elma Saiz, took the opportunity to "highlight and express gratitude" for the "ongoing coordination" between administrations, and the Andalusian president, Juanma Moreno Bonilla, celebrated that everyone "acted in good faith," which allowed for "better coordination." "The public would never forgive us for being in confrontation," he argued in an interview on TVE. However, little more than 48 hours later, the prevailing political truce has definitively broken down. The two final straws that caused the People's Party (PP), especially against the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, to erupt were the speed limit of a section of the Barcelona-Madrid match and the general strike who have called the train drivers to strike.

"The collapse is total, the moral depravity too," denounced the PP spokesperson in Congress, Ester Muñoz, reacting to comments by Minister Puente, who said the strike was related to the train drivers' "state of mind." "The state of mind of risking their lives every day at work due to the poor condition of the tracks," added the PP's Deputy Secretary for Infrastructure, Juan Bravo. But this wasn't the only thing that outraged the Popular Party. "In whose hands are we?" asked Ester Muñoz after learning that Adif was backtracking on the 160 km/h speed limit on part of the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Barcelona. And Alberto Núñez Feijóo reacted after learning the death of a commuter train driver"This is too much."

Late yesterday, a familiar suspect began to raise her voice: Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo. On social media, she declared that the Spanish government had turned the Ministry of Transport into a "farm of kickbacks, shady deals, and corruption" and an "instrument of insults, finger-pointing, and polarization." "They got Koldo a job at Renfe and prostitutes at Adif," she added.

"I can do nothing but praise"

Previously, the general feeling was one of understanding between the Andalusian Regional Government—which still maintains a climate of complicity—and the Spanish government. Even Óscar Puente, usually the most inflammatory and the one who most actively probes the PP, has avoided any direct confrontation with the Popular Party. "It has all been cooperation and close collaboration. Zero criticism to make, quite the opposite. They have acted perfectly, and I can only praise Moreno Bonilla," he said in an interview. Eldiario.es"He had to do his part and he has strived to do it well," added Óscar Puente on Cadena SER radio. The Andalusian government is in charge of Civil Protection and emergencies, while the Spanish government is responsible for railway infrastructure. Juanma Moreno also emphasized that "each within their respective areas of responsibility" has given their "best" to ensure "this goes well." There is also now cooperation between the Spanish and Andalusian governments regarding the state funeral. La Moncloa (the Prime Minister's office) has assumed it will take place in the "coming weeks," pending the final death toll and coordination with King Felipe VI. Juanma Moreno views this "very favorably" so that they can "pay a public and heartfelt tribute" to all the victims.

"We will not tolerate any manipulation"

It was yesterday, after the press conference following the cabinet meeting, that the fuse began to be lit. It stemmed from Alberto Núñez Feijóo's response to a journalist who asked him on Monday if Moncloa (the Prime Minister's office) had been keeping him informed about the tragedy: "I haven't received any information from the Spanish government, neither directly nor indirectly," the PP leader replied. "This is a time for healthcare, comfort, and support," he added. In response to this question, the Spanish government spokesperson, Elma Saiz, emphasized that the Spanish government "shares information" in "real time" and with "absolute transparency" with "the whole of society" and alluded to contact between Sánchez's chief of staff and Feijóo's chief of staff. Sources close to the Popular Party leadership told ARA that the Spanish president's right-hand man "thanked him for the respectful tone" of the PP leader's words via a WhatsApp message and deny that what he said to Feijóo was a complaint. "We weren't planning to explain this, but we won't tolerate any manipulation. We're not complaining about anything, but the Spanish government is manipulating things," PP sources lamented. These same sources recalled that, unlike what happened now, when the accident occurred in Santiago de Compostela, Mariano Rajoy called the then-leader of the PSOE, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, who was accompanied by Minister Ana Pastor when he visited the affected area. Vox blames the Spanish government

Meanwhile, the far right remains oblivious to the truce and continues its relentless crusade against the Spanish government. It was the only party that maintained its agenda the day after the tragedy, justifying this by claiming it wanted to avoid a "false consensus of silence." This morning, Santiago Abascal directly blamed the Spanish government for the accident: "Corruption kills." Immediately after the tragedy, he also didn't mince words on social media: "We are governed by crime, lies, and betrayal of the people's interests." "It's a bad attitude," criticized Elma Saiz. "Using fear to generate chaos and distrust is an anti-democratic and inhumane attitude," she denounced. In contrast, Minister Óscar Puente avoided addressing the issue: "I have absolutely no desire to engage in polemics with anyone."