Spain's Audiencia Nacional court has rejected a complaint filed against Transport Minister Óscar Puente concerning a railway accident in Adamuz. The judges ruled there are no grounds to attribute criminal responsibility to the minister for the incident. Simultaneously, testimony from Iryo train staff was revealed, indicating strong vibrations lasting several minutes before the incident. The political situation remains tense, with other threads concerning legal disputes between journalists.

Court dismisses complaint

Audiencia Nacional ruled that Transport Minister Óscar Puente bears no criminal responsibility for the railway accident in Adamuz.

Testimony about vibrations

An Iryo train employee testified that strong vibrations of the train lasted for at least four minutes before the incident.

AVE route blockage

A landslide in Álora blocked the high-speed rail tracks shortly before the planned restoration of service.

Santaolalla-Quiles dispute

A court rejected a request for a restraining order in the high-profile conflict between Spanish journalists.

The Spanish judiciary has made a key decision regarding political responsibility for railway safety. Audiencia Nacional has officially dismissed the complaint filed against Transport Minister Óscar Puente. The proceedings concerned a railway accident in the town of Adamuz, involving an incident with a train operated by Iryo. The court found the allegations against the minister to be unfounded, closing the path to his direct criminal prosecution in this specific thread. This decision came as media revealed new details about the course of the event itself. Testimony from the head of service on the Iryo train, given to the Civil Guard, sheds new light on the dramatic moments in Adamuz. The employee stated she felt strong vibrations and jolts of the train for at least four minutes before the final immobilization of the train. These accounts may suggest technical or infrastructural problems that occurred long before the accident itself. Concurrently, the railway infrastructure in the region is grappling with other issues – a landslide in Álora blocked the high-speed rail AVE route, occurring just two weeks before the planned reopening of the line. The Spanish rail network is considered one of the most modern in Europe, but in recent years it has faced a growing number of technical incidents, which has become the source of sharp political disputes between the government and the opposition People's Party. On the political scene, a calming of tensions was also noted in relations between the Basque party PNV and opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo. Aitor Esteban of PNV stated that the recent meeting did not bring a breakthrough or change to existing alliances. Meanwhile, in the socio-media sphere, the conflict between Sarah Santaolalla and controversial activist Vito Quiles has resonated loudly. A judge rejected Santaolalla's request for a restraining order against Quiles, sparking a broad public debate about the limits of free speech and harassment in the journalistic environment. „No hay ningún cambio, ni punto y aparte” (There is no change, nor a new paragraph) — Aitor Esteban The situation within the Vox party also appears unstable, with commentators pointing to the inevitable end of Javier Ortega Smith's political career within the party's structures. The accumulation of these events shows deep divisions in Spanish public life, where technical issues, such as railway safety, rapidly become elements of partisan and legal battles.

Mentioned People

  • Óscar Puente — Spanish Minister of Transport, against whom the court complaint was dismissed.
  • Aitor Esteban — Spokesperson for the Basque party PNV in the Congress of Deputies.
  • Vito Quiles — Controversial Spanish activist and journalist associated with right-wing circles.
  • Sarah Santaolalla — Journalist who sought a court restraining order against Vito Quiles.
  • Javier Ortega Smith — Vox party politician whose position within the party is being questioned.