Puente has been cornered by allies and foes alike, who called for him to step down after last week’s train crash, in which 69 people died. It was the second deadly rail disaster in Spain this year after January’s accident in Adamuz, which killed 46 people. Puente had held the post since 2023.
After a cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Puente brushed off calls for his resignation from some of the government’s allies, including members of Sumar, the coalition’s junior partner.
Sánchez has publicly backed Puente after the Toledo crash raised questions about how Spain manages its rail infrastructure and dealt a blow to his re-election hopes.
This breaking story is being updated.