The decision comes after the rail collision that killed nearly 70 people in the Toledo region, the second major accident on the Spanish rail network since the beginning of the year. He also mentioned the Adamuz disaster, which killed 46 people in January in Andalusia.
Mr. Puente specified that he is stepping down not only from his duties as Transport Minister, but also from appearing on the lists for the snap legislative elections on November 29.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente tendered his resignation on Tuesday, following an appearance before lawmakers.
This second disaster occurred a month before these elections, increasing pressure on the government.
The minister stressed that he first wanted to launch the initial investigations and the first compensation and short-term safety measures before announcing his departure.
He did not specify the date on which he would leave office.
"I am making this decision public today, in the place where it is most appropriate to do so, at the seat of national sovereignty, once I have accomplished what was, in my view, the most urgent work and the most impossible to postpone: carrying out the first investigations (…), taking the first measures to compensate (the victims) and improve, as far as possible, the safety of our railway system in the short term,"he said.
"A transport minister of a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of such gravity in less than a year, however different they may be, and whether or not I bear direct responsibility for them,"Mr. Puente said.