The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has indicated that "he still has no news" about the situation of the former minister and president of the foundation of the Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE), Fátima Báñez, who was traveling on one of the trains involved in the railway accident recorded this Wednesday in Urda (Toledo).
In an institutional appearance held on Wednesday afternoon, Moreno has admitted that "I would be lying if I did not say that this suffering, of not knowing about her, hurts me especially, not only because we are friends and colleagues, but also because she got on that train to accompany us to the celebration event of Día de la Empresa that we had planned for today in Sevilla".
The former minister was scheduled to attend the Día de la Empresa in Andalucía event, organized by the Confederación de Empresarios de Andalucía (CEA) in Sevilla at midday this Wednesday, an appointment to which she finally did not arrive because of the accident.
The head of the Andalusian Executive has likewise conveyed his concern and sorrow to the entire set of relatives of the fatal victims and of the people affected by the accident, which has so far left at least 68 dead.
Moreno has underlined that "it is difficult, I would say almost impossible, to imagine the enormous pain and the enormous anguish of those who suffer waiting for information about their loved ones. How am I going to forget that? how are we going to forget the victims and their fathers, mothers, wives and husbands, sons and daughters? You will have us by your side".
According to what business sources have told Europa Press, the former minister was occupying one of the seats on the Iryo train that was hit by an AVE from Renfe on the stretch between Los Yébenes and Urda (Toledo).
In a message spread on its social networks, the CEOE has conveyed its "consternation" over the railway accident, as well as its support for the victims, their families and the rest of those affected.
Báñez has served as president of the Fundación CEOE since July 2020, a responsibility she reached almost two years after leaving the Ministry of Employment.
Born in Huelva in 1967, Báñez was Minister of Employment and Social Security from December 2011 until June 2018, during the Government chaired by Mariano Rajoy.
During her time at the head of the Employment portfolio, she promoted the labor reform approved by the PP in 2012, a measure heavily questioned by trade union organizations and which led to the calling of a general strike in an attempt to force its repeal.
The former minister left politics in March 2019 with the idea of joining the private sector, where she is currently an independent director at Rovi and an external director at Iberdrola Energía Internacional.