Online posts have misrepresented Spain’s 2019 rail export loans to Morocco and Uzbekistan as gifts, following a deadly train crash in southern Spain in January 2026 that killed 45 people and injured over 150.
The social media posts suggested the Spanish government «gave €247 mln» to other countries while domestic rail infrastructure collapsed. However, officials confirmed the funds were not donations but repayable loans approved under Spain’s Fund for the Internationalisation of Spanish Companies (FIEM).
The €247 mln funded the purchase of Spanish-made rail parts and rolling stock. A €190 mln loan supported Morocco’s Casablanca tram expansion, while €57 mln were loaned to Uzbekistan for Talgo S.A. projects. Both loans are repayable by the foreign purchasers, with principal repayments starting in 2030 for Uzbekistan and 2032 for Morocco, according to the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO).
«The fund does not finance the recipient country; it finances Spanish exports,» a spokesperson for Spain’s Economy Ministry said.
The scheme aims to reduce non-payment risk for Spanish exporters and make bids more competitive.
Spain’s domestic high-speed rail network spans roughly 4,000 km and is primarily maintained by state-owned managers Adif and Adif Alta Velocidad, funded through the central government and EU grants.
Domestic Rail Spending vs Export Support
European Commission data shows that while Spain invests heavily in expanding its high-speed network, only a small portion of annual spending, around 16% of €1.5 bn per year from 2018 to 2022, went to maintenance and upgrades.
The FIEM programme, operational since 2011, provides loans, credit lines, and other financial support for overseas projects using Spanish goods and services. In 2019, the Morocco and Uzbekistan loans were two of 19 FIEM-financed projects across ten countries. Rolling stock for the Moroccan project was supplied by Alstom Transporte S.A.U., built in Spain.
The loans have clear repayment schedules and are designed to support Spanish exports, not foreign governments, contrary to claims circulating online after the January train tragedy.
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