Spanish prosecutors support partial pardon for Angrois train driver

The Chief Prosecutor of the Santiago area, Antonio Roma, has expressed support for a partial pardon for Francisco Garzón Amo, the train driver convicted in connection with the 2013 Angrois train derailment. The accident, which occurred in July 2013, resulted in 80 deaths.

In a document dated September 2, 2026, the Prosecutor's Office argued in favor of a partial pardon based on “relevant reasons of justice and equity.” While supporting the substitution of his two-and-a-half-year prison sentence with a lesser penalty, the prosecution rejected a full pardon, stating such a measure would be “inadmissible” due to the “objective gravity of the facts” and the “plurality of victims,” which would constitute “a situation of impunity.”

The request for pardon was promoted by the train drivers' union, Semaf. The prosecution cited several humanitarian factors for the partial pardon, including Garzón Amo’s age (65), his status as a retiree, his struggle with COPD, and his role as a caregiver for his disabled mother. Additionally, the prosecutor noted that some victims and affected parties have expressed agreement with the granting of the pardon, alongside the significant time elapsed since the incident and the driver's subsequent conduct.