Urda crash: Carlos Cuerpo takes over the Ministry of Transport on an interim basis

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday morning that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, will take over "on an interim basis" the running of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, according to Galiciapress, Menorca.info and Ruta del Transporte. He replaces Óscar Puente, who announced his resignation on Tuesday before the Standing Committee of the Congress of Deputies after the train collision in Urda (Toledo).

According to Menorca.info and Ruta del Transporte, Sánchez justified the interim nature of the appointment by the fact that less than a month remains before the general election on 29 November, and said that Cuerpo will continue the reforms begun by Puente. According to Galiciapress, the appointment will be made by royal decree, to be published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

The sources do not fully agree on the Economy portfolio: Menorca.info and Galiciapress present him as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy who is also taking on Transport, while El Plural says he held that post "until now". None of the sources consulted indicates that anyone else will take over Economy.

The crash on 28 October caused 69 deaths, all of them now identified, according to the official toll. The causes remain under judicial and technical investigation, and high-speed rail service between Madrid and Andalusia remains suspended pending the judge's authorisation to rebuild the track, according to Libertad Digital.