The general secretary of UGT, Pepe Álvarez, indicated this Tuesday that Óscar Puente’s resignation as Minister of Transport constitutes a "gesture of dignity that honors the politician and Politics, with capital P’s".
In a message published on his social networks and circulated by Europa Press, the union leader stressed that, despite the fact that Puente is not responsible for the "terrible" railway accident in Urda (Toledo), he has decided to assume political responsibility "in the first person".
"He sets an example for the future," says the top official of UGT.
Pepe Álvarez’s statements come after Puente communicated his resignation during his appearance before the Permanent Delegation of the Congress, as well as his resignation from being a candidate of the PSOE in the elections of November 29. As he explained, it is a decision he made last week, as soon as he became aware of the railway incident in Urda, in which 69 people lost their lives.
"A transport minister of a country like Spain cannot continue in his post with two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year. No matter how different they are, and whether he has or does not have direct responsibility in them, it is a matter of political dignity, of coherence, and of empathy with the victims," he said as he concluded his appearance in the lower house.