The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has regretted the resignation of the Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, although he has questioned the timing of its occurrence, in the middle of the electoral pre-campaign, because, in his opinion, it benefits neither him nor the PSOE.
In an informative breakfast of Nueva Economía, held this Monday, Puente stated that in the party all its members are “subject to the decisions made by the organization,” decisions that, he stressed, sometimes favor them and sometimes do not. “You have to stick to what the organization decides at all times, we cannot get angry when they don't count on us and be happy when they do, because in the end we are at the disposal of the organization,” he pointed out.
The minister also explained that he understands that in the case of Francisco Martín there may be “other reasons,” beyond him being left off the electoral lists for the November 29 elections. Puente also revealed that the Government delegate in Madrid called him to personally inform him in advance that he was going to communicate his decision.
“Therefore, I understand that in Fran there may be other reasons, not just those, and well, I regret it and feel it very much because I truly appreciate him,” he indicated.
Puente valued the resignation “with pain” because he has maintained an “extraordinary” relationship with Martín during these years. “I appreciate him very much,” he added.
Martín, who had been in office since March 2023, resigned this Sunday, October 25, after it was confirmed that he was not included in the lists for Congress and Senate for the 29N general elections, according to socialist sources.
Puente denies aspiring to succeed Pedro Sánchez
At another point in his speech, Óscar Puente made it clear that he does not have the “ambition” to succeed Pedro Sánchez at the head of the PSOE and that his life plans do not include that scenario, although he admitted that he is aware that those plans may not be fulfilled.
“I do not have the ambition to succeed Pedro Sánchez, I say it clearly, my life plan is different,” he stated, before insisting that he is no longer naive about the evolution of his political career. “I am old enough and not naive enough to assume that my life plans may not be fulfilled, and that sometimes includes being something one does not have in mind to be,” he explained.
Puente recalled that his initial idea was to remain mayor of Valladolid and that, finally, he ended up as a minister. “If they ask me if I can choose, if I would choose something else, my answer is clear, I do not have the ambition to succeed Pedro,” he reiterated.
Confidence in the PSOE's victory on November 29
The minister also defended his “37-year” career in the PSOE and underlined his commitment to the socialist cause. “My causes are more important than my life, I don't know if I will be consistent with that until the end, but that has been my philosophy until now,” he said.
Asked about Pedro Sánchez's continuity at the head of the party in case he cannot govern after the elections on November 29, Puente assured that the Prime Minister “only thinks about victory” and that he is convinced that he will win and be able to govern. According to him, neither Sánchez nor the team around him, including himself, are currently contemplating that scenario.
“I am convinced that we are going to win the elections on November 29 and that we are going to gather enough support to repeat the Government for four more years,” he concluded.
The reaction of Elma Saiz to the resignation of Francisco Martín
The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, assured this Monday that the resignation of Francisco Martín as government delegate in Madrid is a "personal" decision and defended that "everyone has to take responsibility for their decisions".
Saiz made these statements in an interview on Cadena Ser, where she was asked about the resignation announced on Sunday, after Francisco Martín learned that he would not be on the PSOE lists for the general elections on November 29.
"Absolute respect" for a personal decision
Regarding the question of what had happened, given that Francisco Martín had shown himself to be a "premium Sanchista", had been indicted in the Begoña Gómez case by Judge Peinado and had maintained his political confrontation with Ayuso, the minister stressed that it is "a personal decision", an option that she has received with "absolute respect".