Spain’s Sanchez Names Deputy Carlos Cuerpo to Run Transport Ministry After Puente Resigns Over Train Crashes

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that his deputy, Carlos Cuerpo, would provisionally run the Transport Ministry after Oscar Puente resigned over two deadly high-speed train crashes this year.

Sanchez, in a brief televised address, praised Puente for what he called political dignity and said the decision helped the country regain confidence in the rail system. He said Cuerpo, who is also economy minister, had shown management ability and integrity in the current legislature, according to Reuters.

Puente announced on Tuesday night that he was stepping down after a four-hour session with lawmakers from a caretaker parliament body, in which most parties demanded he face responsibility for the crashes. Reuters reported that Puente said he had made the decision in the immediate aftermath of the crash near Urda in central Spain, told only his family, and kept even Sanchez unaware.

Two crashes killed 115 people

The two disasters killed 115 people combined, according to Reuters. The Urda crash killed 69 people, and a crash near Adamuz in January killed 46 people, according to The Times. US News America previously reported the identification of victims in the Urda crash.

Puente’s resignation takes effect once it is published in the official state gazette, and Reuters said the timeline for that step was unclear. Puente also said he would not stand as a candidate in the general election on November 29.

Puente, 57, took the transport post in November 2023. Sanchez’s Socialists are fighting the election campaign without one of their most combative voices, Reuters reported, after polls following the Urda crash showed a slight drop in support for the party.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters and The Times.