The President of the Junta's references, during a recent electoral debate, to the accident that caused 46 fatalities, have intensified the electoral campaign. The mayor of the Cordoban town was the first to respond, criticizing the use of the incident in the campaign context. Today, in front of the Andalusian Parliament, the mayor reiterated his criticisms, pointing to the "use of victims' pain" and reaffirming delays in the arrival of health services.
Reactions were swift. A counselor from the Presidency accused the mayor of acting out of electoral interests, recalling that "a few days ago he recognized emergency services for their solidary, generous, and exemplary work" after the accident. Shortly after, the President of the Junta himself suggested that the mayor's party had pressured him to make these statements. Finally, the Association of Victims of the Adamuz Derailment, through its president, described the use of a "human tragedy" in the debate as "despicable."
“"Given what happened yesterday in the debate, I cannot remain silent any longer. I have maintained institutional loyalty, but what was said in the debate is absolutely false. Emergency services were slow to arrive, and for a long time, the only help provided was by neighbors and local councils."
The mayor, accompanied by the councilors of Montoro, Villafranca, and Pedro Abad, detailed the timeline of the event, indicating that the first call from 112 was received at 8:08 PM, 25 minutes after the accident. Upon arriving at the scene, he only found a Civil Guard patrol, a local ambulance, and a small fire truck. He emphasized that, for almost two hours, care for the injured was primarily provided by the residents of Adamuz, who lacked medical training.
The President of the Junta, for his part, defended his government's prudence and linked the mayor's criticisms to "pressure" from his party. He noted that the mayor had said "absolutely nothing" for "more than 100 days" and that his current reaction was due to political interests. He also criticized questioning the emergency services' actions, highlighting the arrival of "dozens of perfectly prepared professionals" and "an ambulance per minute."
“"We have stated from minute one that we did not want political interference and, of course, that our tragedy should not be exploited."
The Victims' Association has supported the mayor in his rejection of the political use of the event, regretting that their calls for respect have not been heard. They have insisted on the need for cooperation with the investigation and for justice to determine responsibilities.
