I am Marcos Llorente too

Today is a sad day for Spain. The collision between a Renfe AVE and an Iryo train in Urda (Toledo) has left at least 64 people dead and dozens injured, according to the figures confirmed so far. Behind every figure is a name, a family waiting at a station or at the other end of the phone, a journey that never ended.

There is still a great deal of information to come. The cause of the accident is under investigation and caution is needed: the experts and the courts will determine exactly what went wrong. But caution must not be confused with silence.

Because it is impossible not to think of Adamuz. In January, the rail accident at Adamuz (Córdoba) claimed the lives of 46 people. Nine months later, the families of those victims are still waiting for answers, and today the country is once again counting the dead on the railways.

And it is impossible not to think of our Transport Minister, Óscar Puente. With the memory of Adamuz still so fresh, he has seen fit to joke on television about train breakdowns, to the outrage of the victims of that tragedy. The person responsible for the safety of millions of passengers cannot make light of failures in the rail system. We will now see what happens after this latest accident and what explanations we are given.

That is why I say it loud and clear today: I am Marcos Llorente too. The Atlético de Madrid footballer posted a message to the minister on his Instagram account that many Spaniards would endorse word for word:

“Dear Óscar Puente, isn’t it time you put Twitter aside and focused on the job we pay you to do? When human lives are at stake, the least we can expect from a transport minister is responsibility, seriousness, safety and respect.

We’re fed up with politicians who seem more concerned with winning arguments on social media like 13-year-old children than with living up to their responsibilities.

Twitter isn’t your job. Your job is public transport, safety and being held to account when things go wrong. So far, you’ve been a fucking disaster at that, but as always you’ll blame someone else. Let the circus roll on.”

We need more brave people willing to say what needs to be said, even when they know the criticism will come pouring in. Llorente has done so. From Guardamar, I stand with him.

But above all today, I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and friends, wish the injured a swift recovery and thank the emergency teams still working at the scene. No explanation will bring their loved ones back; the least they deserve is the truth.

Helplines for information and support for the families of those affected

Renfe: 900 10 10 20

Iryo: 900 001 403

Castilla-La Mancha Emergency Service: 900 122 112

La Gaceta de Guardamar will continue to report on developments in this accident.