The Congress evaluates Óscar Puente's request

MadridA few hours before a week passes since the Toledo train accident, Óscar Puente will appear before the permanent deputation of Congress to provide explanations. The Minister of Transport has been the main target pointed at for the tragedy that has left 69 fatalities and will have to face the reproaches of practically the entire parliamentary spectrum less than a month before November 29. Sources from the Ministry of Transport indicate that they view Puente's appearance as an opportunity to continue giving "explanations" and promise "transparency". The same sources assume that parties like the PP will seek a direct political clash with Óscar Puente, whom they have already asked to resign. "No fear," they declare.

The truth is that a majority of the lower house considers that he must assume political responsibility for the accident and is openly demanding his resignation. And it is not only about the right wing, but it has also been demanded by the Broad Front, a minority partner of the Spanish government, which has also withdrawn its confidence in him. The only party that still defends Puente is the PSOE.

"My way of being responsible is by facing the music", the Minister of Transport defended last Friday in a press conference in which he ruled out resigning. Sources close to the minister explained that he placed his position at the disposal of Pedro Sánchez and that the Spanish president asked him to stay because it would be an "unfair" resignation. Even with this endorsement on the table, Puente is facing a parliamentary session that is expected to be complicated for the head of Transport and which will begin at 5 p.m. this Tuesday.

Previously, the Council of Ministers will have approved a decree of aid for the victims and relatives of the Toledo accident based on the one that had to be approved nine months ago for the Adamuz accident that caused the death of 46 people. The decree doubles the indemnities of the mandatory travelers' insurance, which implies a maximum automatic compensation of 216,364.68 euros for each fatality. It also anticipates them with a mechanism so they do not have to wait for the completion of all administrative or judicial procedures to collect and establishes a special procedure for medical leave with "enhanced coverage" for those who have suffered injuries.

However, what will be the focus of the Congress session are the causes of the accident and the state of the railway network after even Sánchez has acknowledged that public trust in high-speed rail "is broken" in the face of the "unacceptable" two railway tragedies in the State. This Monday, the Spanish president reaffirmed that his priority is for citizens to "regain the broken trust in the AVE as soon as possible, whatever it costs".

As of now, one of the measures on the table is that whenever the LZB security system fails, trains should always resume circulation at 40 km/h. This is the proposal that Renfe is already working on, and which Iryo and the train drivers' union are also requesting, following the tragic crash that has also led to calls for resignation by the unions. At the same time, Puente has also opened the door to cutting the Barcelona-Madrid AVE line during the renovation works, a decision that was completely ruled out before the tragedy. From the Generalitat, the president, Salvador Illa, has shown himself to be openly against it.

The PP points to Sánchez

The PP is attending the appearance with its sights set even higher. In the opinion of the Popular Party, the person who should appear is Sánchez himself, upon whom, they argue, the responsibility for Puente's appointment lies. The thesis of the main opposition party is that the Spanish president is using the Minister of Transport as a "firewall" to protect himself from the crisis caused by the accident. Other political groups, such as the PNB, have pointed out that, if Puente does not resign, Sánchez should take the step of dismissing him. Only ERC has decided to wait to hear the intervention of the Minister of Transport before calling for resignations.