The victims of Adamuz criticize the electoral use of the accident after the debate for the 17M elections: “We are against our suffering being politicized”

The Adamuz Derailment Victims Association (AVDA) has strongly criticized the political use of the railway accident during the electoral debate broadcast by Canal Sur on the occasion of the Andalusian elections on 17M. Its president, Mario Samper, has denounced that from “minute one” the victims expressly asked that the tragedy not be used “as an electoral weapon”.

Samper stated that the references to the accident during the debate were "totally out of place" and described as "despicable" that the suffering of the victims is resorted to for political purposes. "We are absolutely against it even being named," he stated, insisting that the association has been demanding for months from parties and institutions that they keep the accident out of the electoral confrontation.

The representative of AVDA also stressed that this position is shared practically by the totality of those affected. According to what he explained, the association represents "95% of the victims" of the derailment and there is a generalized rejection of any partisan use of the case. “We have stated it many times, even in our internal groups and social networks”, Samper pointed out, regretting that their requests had not been respected.

The association also publicly backed the recent statements of the mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Moreno Reyes, who criticized the president of the Junta de Andalucía and candidate of the Partido Popular, Juanma Moreno, for the “political utilization” of the accident. Moreno Reyes also denounced that the organized health aid “arrived late” and that many injured remained for hours without coordinated attention.

Samper defended the mayor's actions throughout the entire management of the emergency and assured that he had maintained a "very prudent" position since the beginning of the accident. "He fulfilled his mission, which was to help the victims, and did not make political statements in any sense," he affirmed. In his opinion, the municipal councilor ended up speaking publicly because "these things cannot be allowed."

Despite their discomfort, the association rules out undertaking new formal actions to demand that the parties stop using the accident in the campaign. “It’s common sense,” lamented Samper, resigned given the lack of institutional response. “We have asked for it from the very beginning and it is still being done just the same. We don’t see much logic in demanding again something that is not being respected,” he concluded.