Until September 26, 2023, the day of the failed investiture debate of Alberto Núñez Feijóo in Congress, Óscar Puente (Valladolid, 1968) was practically unknown to the general public. Pedro Sánchez's assignment to this rank-and-file PSOE deputy, former mayor of Valladolid, to give the reply to the PP leader catapulted him media-wise. Especially due to his provocative tone and the pungent content of his speech. That day, articles proliferated explaining who Puente was, the surprise of the day, who soon took on the labels of "scourge" and "battering ram" of the right, and became one of the socialists most hated by the populars. An animosity that has been increasing during the legislature following his appointment as Minister of Transport, a position he has combined with acting as a doberman for the head of the Spanish executive against the attacks of the opposition.

Major surprise in Congress. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has announced his resignation live, although it will not become effective until his final dismissal is published. He also announced that he will not be part of the PSOE's electoral lists for November 29th. "Out of political dignity, coherence, and empathy for the victims [of the train accident]," said Puente, visibly moved. The head of Transport announced this after appearing at his own request to give an account, precisely, of the tragic train accident in Urda, in the province of Toledo, which has left 69 victims dead, while at the same time opening a crisis of confidence in the railway and high-speed rail in the State. Sources from the Spanish government defend that he has carried out an exercise of "political responsibility". "He stood up and faced it," they reiterate.

With a quick internet search, you can find round-trip plane tickets between Barcelona and Brussels for less than 70 euros. The same journey by train (which requires a transfer) costs more than 200 euros. And if it were done by car, between fuel and tolls, it would cost at least about 400. How is such a big difference possible? The answer lies, in part, in the tax exemptions that kerosene enjoys.

The Spanish government has approved new adjustments for road, rail, and maritime transport to mitigate the effects of fuel costs due to the war in the Middle East. These measures are in addition to those already approved, and among them, the aid of up to 20 cents per liter of professional diesel stands out.

Two train accidents with 46 deaths and rail chaos in Catalonia. These were the two issues that Transport Minister Óscar Puente was forced to address before the Senate on Thursday, at the urging of the People's Party. His appearance followed the expected script—the minister defended his handling of the situation—but gradually became increasingly heated. According to Puente, neither the Adamuz accident, which claimed 45 lives, nor the Gelida accident, which resulted in the death of a train driver, was related to the maintenance of the rail network carried out by Adif and his ministry. However, regarding the recent chaos on Catalan trains, the Transport Minister offered some self-criticism. "The commuter rail service is terrible, but we are working to correct it," the minister acknowledged in response to Junts senator Eduard Pujol, with whom he had a tense exchange after Pujol repeatedly called for his resignation. "I'm not deaf, you don't need to tell me to resign again," the minister retorted.

The closure of the AP-7 motorway caused by the Gelida train accident could last for days, according to the Catalan Traffic Service (Servei Català de Trànsit). This incident not only affects the mobility of people but also has a major impact on the transport and logistics sector, not only in Catalonia but throughout Spain. The AP-7 is the main route for freight traffic from Europe to the Iberian Peninsula and from Spain—and even much of the Maghreb—to Europe. In fact, this route is part of a corridor designated as a priority by the European Union. Furthermore, Catalonia accounts for more than 25% of Spanish exports, a large portion of which leave via this motorway. The motorway is owned by the Spanish state and, until 2021, was operated under a concession agreement with the company Abertis. With the expiration of the concession, tolls were removed, and the motorway was placed under direct state management. The removal of tolls coincided with the economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, and traffic on this road skyrocketed. According to the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, this road is "at the limit" of its operational capacity. In fact, just six months ago, the institution, headed by Josep Santacreu, was requesting an investment of over €1 billion from the government to improve its capacity and functionality. The Chamber's study highlighted that in 2019, before the pandemic, approximately 77,000 vehicles passed daily on the Papiol section in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. By 2024, after the health crisis had subsided and tolls were eliminated, traffic on this section had reached 107,700 vehicles per day. In other words, in five years, the volume had increased by 23,100 light vehicles and approximately 7,600 heavy vehicles. With this volume of traffic, it's no wonder that haulers are urging authorities to reopen the closed section of the road as soon as possible. The sector emphasizes that safety "is a priority," but asks that any necessary work be carried out "as soon as possible." The president of the Catalan Confederation of Road Transport Businesses (CETCAT), Eduard Ayach, told ACN that the alternative routes to the highway are "insufficient," and therefore he is calling for "the necessary investments" to be made to ensure there are no disruptions when incidents occur on the AP-7. CETCAT has not yet calculated the economic losses, but they indicate that disruptions "will certainly occur" and will affect businesses. "We're talking about the fact that the economic sectors have been demanding a greater expansion of the AP-7, a fourth ring road, and alternative routes for many years. We believe that mobility and infrastructure are insufficient," Ayach lamented.

The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has come to Barcelona to deliver a message of calm. "There is money and there are many projects underway," he said at a meeting with business leaders at the Círculo de Economía (Economic Circle), before outlining the main initiatives and investments his ministry has planned for Catalonia; some as complicated and historic as the transfer of the commuter rail network, the expansion of the airport, and the improvement of access to the port.

A new political agreement, this time between Junts and the Ministry of Transport, has brought an old infrastructure project that had been shelved for two decades out of the window. A delegation from Carles Puigdemont's party announced this Thursday at noon from El Prat de Llobregat that they have reached an agreement with the Spanish government to "unblock" the airport's connection to high-speed rail.

For Carinsa, the Catalan company dedicated to creating, producing, distributing, and marketing flavorings for human food and beverages, animal feed, and fragrances for detergents and cosmetics, the problem isn't the tariffs imposed by the US, which is currently set at 10% instead of 20%. Furthermore, for this company, sales in the world's leading power don't even reach 5% of its total. But they are concerned about the effects this trade war may have in the medium rather than the short term.