The National Court of Spain has dismissed a complaint lodged against Óscar Puente, the Minister of Transport, in connection with the railway accident that occurred in Adamuz, Córdoba, on January 18, which resulted in 46 fatalities. Judge Antonio Piña concluded that the court lacked the jurisdiction to accept a case against a government minister, who is entitled to special legal protections as he is a member of the Executive.

The complaint was filed by an ultra-right political association in January and was subsequently evaluated by the public prosecutor, who also indicated that the case should be shelved due to similar reasons. The complaint was primarily focused on holding Puente accountable for the incident, which has raised numerous inquiries into the safety protocols and regulations of the railways.

As a response to the ongoing concerns about railway safety, a local court in Montoro is currently conducting an investigation into the tragedy, aiming to uncover the circumstances surrounding the accident. The dismissal by the National Court is significant as it underscores the legal protections afforded to government officials in Spain, while highlighting the ongoing debates about accountability in the wake of public safety failures.