The Partido Popular (PP) has stressed that the resignation of the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, "doesn't fly" because, in its view, it did not happen "for the victims or for dignity" but "for the polls", and has again put the focus on the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, as ultimately responsible for his appointment: "His responsibility has still not been dealt with, but we will have him removed at the ballot box".
"Tezanos has resigned him," PP sources said after it became known that the minister decided to leave his post and not to appear on the PSOE lists on 29N, after the train accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and the one that occurred last Wednesday in Urda (Toledo), which have left a total death toll of 116.
Along these lines, the 'populars' have gone after Sánchez by stressing that "the main problem" lies with "who put the infrastructure in the hands of Ábalos, first, [referring to the former Transport minister] and Puente, afterwards". "Responsibility is not delegated," they emphasized, warning the head of the Executive that "he cannot hide behind Óscar Puente".
In addition, the PP went one step further and warned that neither Puente's departure nor Sánchez's possible exit --"after 29N"-- will make people "forget what is most important", that is, "what has happened and what must be done to regain the safety that was lost" on the rail network: "116 deaths demand truth, explanations and responsibilities at the highest level".
In this context, they insisted that "the crisis" will only "be closed" if "sufficient explanations, full responsibilities and guarantees that a tragedy like this will not happen again" are provided.
The resignation, communicated by the minister this Tuesday before the Standing Committee of the Congress, and also including his decision not to stand on the PSOE lists on 29N, comes six days after the rail disaster in Urda (Toledo), in which 69 people lost their lives, and nine months after the accident in Adamuz (Córdoba), where 46 travelers died.
Reactions from the leaders of the Partido Popular
Different PP officials have reacted to the resignation announced by the head of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, agreeing that it does not constitute "an act of dignity" and emphasizing that it arrives "late".
On the same line, the party's general secretary, Miguel Tellado, has also stated, who has argued that the resignation "is not enough" and has again held the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, responsible for having appointed him to replace José Luis Ábalos—"today in jail"—, wrapping up his message on 'X', reported by Europa Press, by describing the former minister as a "combative tweeter".
The 'popular' spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, has stated this Tuesday night in Congress that Óscar Puente's resignation as Minister of Transport "arrives 116 deaths late", referring to the fatalities of the two rail accidents recorded in the past year.
In her remarks, the PP leader reiterated her demand that Puente leave his post, although she specified that his departure was already too late and that, in any case, it could not be considered sufficient in light of the magnitude of what had happened.
"It is a confession of guilt," added the PP's undersecretary for Treasury, Juan Bravo, who also pointed on 'X' to the responsibility of "who appointed him and allowed him to continue in his position", in reference to Pedro Sánchez. For this reason, he insisted that Puente "dare not try to sell it" as an "act of dignity" but as a "resignation that comes 116 lives late".
The 'popular' Home Affairs spokesperson, Ana Vázquez, has attributed the minister's departure to polling, stating that it was the surveys that have "dimitir" the head of Transport "at the last minute of the Standing Committee" of Congress, before which Puente announced his departure after several hours of appearing regarding the Urda (Toledo) rail accident, in which 69 people died last Wednesday.