Transport Minister Puente Defends Spain's Infrastructure Improvements

Madrid, Spain – Transport Minister Óscar Puente has defended the importance of public planning for improving investment in transport infrastructure, stating that Spanish facilities have progressed from being poor to being among the best in Europe.

Spain’s Infrastructure Upgrade Attributed to EU Membership and Planning

Puente made the remarks during a session at the LAC Transport Forum 2026 in Miami, USA, which is being driven by the Ibero-American Development Bank with the aim of enhancing the quality, transparency, and competition of transport investments in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Focus on Rigorous Planning and Cost-Benefit Analysis

The minister emphasized that Spain’s evolution has been thanks to its entry into the European Union and careful planning, identifying mobility needs, comparing alternatives, and evaluating results. He highlighted the use of cost-benefit and multicriteria analyses, as well as the methodology employed by ADIF, which integrates financial, socioeconomic, and risk analyses.

Concerns Raised About Autovia A-23 Project

Fernando Beltrán, delegate of the Government in Aragón, expressed urgency regarding the completion of the A-23 highway, stating it is ‘literally abandoned.’

DORA III Approval Highlighted

Puente also cited the recent approval of the Documento de Regulación Aeroportaria (DORA) III in the Council of Ministers as an example of successful regulatory action.