At the PP headquarters in Madrid on 28 October, Alberto Núñez Feijóo appeared in mourning clothes and said his party had cancelled all pre-campaign events after the Urda rail disaster. Feijóo, president of the Partido Popular and its candidate for the 29 November general election, called for an immediate government investigation and a separate judicial inquiry. He said both needed the necessary resources and freedom from interference.
At least 68 people had died, according to the provisional toll reported that day, as authorities continued identifying victims and assessing casualties. Feijóo said the immediate priority was to respect those killed and their families, as well as the injured, while insisting that grief must not stop the public from demanding answers. He said the PP would seek a full account of the state of Spain’s rail infrastructure.
An earlier report on the Toledo collision cited at least 32 deaths; Feijóo’s statement put the toll at 68 or more. He called for an immediate government investigation alongside a judicial inquiry, both with the necessary resources and without interference. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government was working with the Transport and Interior ministries, the Independent Commission for Railway Accident Investigation and judicial authorities to establish what had happened. He said Adif and Renfe would also examine the causes, while final determinations would rest with the independent commission and the courts.
Feijóo’s demand extends beyond establishing what happened in the accident. He called for a complete, independent review of the whole railway network, covering the condition of tracks and safety systems. He also called for an account of warnings reportedly received from Adamuz and the response to them, along with a comparison of announced railway spending against what was actually executed and spent.
La Voz de Galicia reported that the collision involved an AVE service and a stationary Iryo train. The newspaper said the Guardia Civil questioned the Adif operator who authorized the AVE’s departure, and reported an early investigative lead pointing to a possible signaling-system failure shortly before the collision. Accident investigators and judicial authorities are still examining the cause.
Spain’s central government announced three official days of mourning, running from midnight on 28 October through midnight on 31 October. Feijóo urged people to donate blood and praised the emergency professionals and healthcare workers who helped victims. Local residents had also assisted at the scene. He expressed solidarity with families awaiting news of relatives, including the PP’s former minister Fátima Báñez, whose situation, he said, had not been confirmed.
The party leader said he was not calling for a debate over political responsibility on the day of the disaster. His demand for investigations and a network-wide review puts the focus on which warnings were received and whether announced spending was carried out as intended.
Feijóo attended a minute of silence at Madrid City Hall with PP secretary general Miguel Tellado, deputy secretary for Finance, Housing and Infrastructure Juan Bravo, and Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo. Other party leaders attended observances across Toledo, Logroño, Málaga, Valladolid, Valencia, Arganda del Rey and Brussels.
