The opposition targets Paneque and Puente for the commuter rail chaos

BarcelonaWill anyone take political responsibility for this week's rail chaos? For now, the Catalan and Spanish governments are closing ranks, as the opposition has already pointed the finger at the two people who should be held accountable: Transport Minister Óscar Puente and the Catalan Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque. Pressure on both administrations is mounting in the wake of the Chaos on the commuter railThe crisis, which has dragged on since Tuesday's fatal accident in Gelida, has been particularly intense. The last to make a move was ERC, which until now had remained in the background, but on Sunday raised its voice to join the call for the dismissal of the two politicians in question. This was done by its leader, Oriol Junqueras, who a few days ago had already been laying the groundwork to begin demanding resignations, although initially, he indicated, they were focused on "solutions." On Saturday, the leader of Junts, Carles Puigdemont, pointed in the same direction, especially regarding Paneque, lamenting that she had already had "too many opportunities" despite demonstrating her "incompetence." In March of last year, the Catalan Parliament had already demanded the resignation of the minister after a chaotic episode on the commuter rail network. It was through a proposal from JuntsThe motion was joined by the PP, Vox, the CUP, and Aliança Catalana. What has changed now? The role of ERC, which abstained then—only one deputy from the Joventuts supported the motion—and which now, in contrast, is among those targeting Paneque. Junqueras demanded this Sunday that the Minister of Territory and also the Minister of Transport "resign for their manifest inability to address" the railway crisis and "explain it." "We ask them to be consistent; if in practical terms they have already resigned from their responsibilities, they should also resign formally," he stressed. This shift in the political landscape leaves the Catalan government in a particularly delicate position, given that ERC (and not Junts) is an essential partner for Salvador Illa's government, along with Comuns.

What does Junqueras criticize Paneque for? Among other things, that he "has tried to protect Spain through its disinvestments." Now, he stressed, a change is needed "that points out where the responsibilities lie," he explained, thinking precisely of the Spanish government. What will the Government do? With Isla convalescing in the hospital, the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, asked for patience and apologized to the public and guaranteed that the Generalitat "has been, is, and will be alongside the citizens defending the interests of the country."

As for Puente, the PP is his main critic, accusing him of repeatedly lying since the fatal accident last Sunday in Adamuz. The minister has explained all week that the entire high-speed rail line between Seville and Madrid has been renovated in recent years. But several pieces of information—this Sunday, for example, it is being taken to The WorldThey detail that the improvement works were limited to the track switches and not to the rails on which the derailed trains traveled. For this reason, the Popular Party's general secretary, Miguel Tellado, has called for his "immediate resignation." In any case, the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, defended his minister from Aragon and offered his "acknowledgment." At an election campaign event, Sánchez emphasized that Puente "has been managing and facing the public from the very first moment of this tragedy." Regarding the commuter rail service, he stated that they are working "night and day" in contact with the Catalan government to resolve the Catalan rail crisis. Likewise, the minister refuted the front page of the conservative Spanish newspaper, which it labeled as fake news: "The broken rail on which the derailment occurred is a new rail," he asserted, providing documentation. Furthermore, he pointed out in an interview with The Country that he will demand "accountability" from anyone who has not done their job properly – and that he would assume it if necessary..

Tolls off, alternative service and teleworking

"We are not here to demand everyone's resignation and do nothing else," warned Junqueras, who also called for the full reopening of the AP-7 highway, all possible train lines, and the implementation of an effective alternative bus service. He added that while this situation persists, tolls such as the one on the C-32—which the Catalan government will keep open, at least until Wednesday—and the Vallvidrera tunnel should be lifted, an option also demanded by the mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, Josep Maria Vallès, a member of the Catalan Parliament. For days, the Catalan government has been urging companies to facilitate teleworking and reminding workers that, if they are unable to get to their jobs due to the rail chaos, they can request paid, non-recoverable leave, as provided for in the Workers' Statute. This option has already been criticized by some employers' associations. Junqueras insisted on the need for companies to facilitate teleworking and lamented what he considered the lack of forcefulness shown by the Minister of Business, Miquel Sàmper, in defending it.

The CUP also criticized the government's "disastrous handling" of the commuter rail crisis this weekend, accusing it of "exacerbating people's real problems," according to MP Xavi Pellicer. The People's Party reiterated that the government is "out of service" and experiencing a "permanent collapse," according to spokesperson Juan Fernández. Jéssica Albiach, from the Comuns party, warned that "the Catalan government cannot be a mere spectator, a referee in the Renfe and Adif sagas," but rather "must" act as a "peacemaker" for the country. Finally, Vox also demanded a wave of resignations from the Catalan government, and Aliança Catalana called for the reinstatement of season tickets for users.