Carlos Cuerpo takes over Spain's Transport Ministry after Óscar Puente resigns over Urda crash

A resignation after the Urda crash

Óscar Puente resigned as Transport minister on Tuesday, 3 November, after a train collision on 28 October at Urda in Toledo province killed 69 people. El País reports that an AVE high-speed train struck an Iryo service heading for Seville on the Madrid-Sevilla line. Puente described his decision as "a matter of political dignity", and El País adds that he had refused to step down until the last moment. Urda was the second fatal high-speed rail accident in about ten months, after the January crash at Adamuz (Córdoba) that killed 46 people. eldiario.es reports a combined toll of 115 dead across the two accidents.

Adamuz (January)46

Urda (28 October)69

Adamuz (January)

46 deaths

Urda (28 October)

69 deaths

Data from the article text

Cuerpo takes the ministry

Sánchez announced on Wednesday, 4 November, that Carlos Cuerpo would run the Transport Ministry until the 29 November election, a role El Mundo describes as interim. Cuerpo already serves as first deputy prime minister and economy minister, and El Mundo counts three portfolios in his hands: economy since December 2023, when he succeeded Nadia Calviño, the first deputy premiership since March, and now Transport. He is not a member of the PSOE and is not standing as a candidate on 29 November, according to eldiario.es. El Confidencial reports that the latest CIS survey rates him the best minister at 5.52 out of 10, while Puente ranked second-lowest. ABC notes that Cuerpo also topped the October CIS ranking of ministers.

Government framing and the campaign

Sánchez said the resignation would help Spain regain confidence in its railways and in political conduct. He also cited Cuerpo's management capacity, integrity and manner as the reasons for the appointment, and said the minister would continue the reforms begun under Puente.

“With his resignation, Óscar is contributing to Spain gaining back its confidence not only in our railway system, but also in political dignity.”

Sánchez also pledged to rebuild trust in the high-speed network.

“We are going to regain confidence in high-speed rail.”

El Confidencial reports that the Partido Popular will stress institutional image and management experience until the vote. The same outlet argues that Moncloa, which held the initiative in the weeks after the snap election was called, has been pushed onto the defensive.

Unions, strikes and the 11 November walkout

UGT leader Pepe Álvarez praised Cuerpo's management record and called Puente's exit an act of dignity. He also rejected a request by PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to call off the general strike set for 11 November, insisting the action will go ahead.

“I want to tell the right and the far right to lose all hope, because the strike is going ahead.”

The rail drivers' union Semaf has called its own strikes for 10 and 12 November, the days before and after the general strike. It demands that the reinforcement agreements signed in February on Adif maintenance and staffing be honoured. Those agreements followed the Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona) tragedies, and Semaf's secretary general, Diego Martín, says promises are not turning into reality. CSIF, CGT, UGT, CCOO and Sindicato Ferroviario, together with the drivers, are studying joint mobilisations around the 29 November vote, according to El País.

Adif leadership and what comes next

The future of Adif's leadership now rests with Cuerpo, according to El País. The presidency of the rail infrastructure manager, held by Luis Pedro Marco de la Peña, is in doubt, with political groups and unions demanding his removal over how traffic was handled on the Madrid-Sevilla line on 28 October. One emergency measure under consideration by Transport and Adif is to space trains further apart on that line. El País also flags public works contracts thrown out of balance by the Hormuz crisis as another problem for the minister. Cuerpo will hold the Transport portfolio until the 29 November election.