We’ll fight tooth and nail for freedom from Spain, vow Catalans
THE Spanish government has been accused of launching a ‘ fully- fledged coup’ after it announced plans to sack Catalan leaders and replace them with its own officials.
Prime minister Mariano Rajoy said the drastic move was to ‘restore order’ after the region held an independence referendum – but it triggered fresh protests.
Catalonia’s government said it would ‘fight tooth and nail’ against the ‘attack on democracy’. Spokesman Jordi Turull described the plans as ‘a fully-fledged coup against Catalan institutions’. But Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis hit back, saying: ‘If anyone has attempted a coup, it is the Catalan government’.
In the referendum on October 1, branded illegal by the central government, 90 per cent of the 43 per cent who took part voted for independence – triggering the worst crisis in Spain’s recent history. Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont put off formally declaring independence to allow for talks.
On Saturday, Mr Rajoy asked the senate to allow him to use Article 155 of Spain’s constitution for the first time since it was written in 1978 – giving him the power to dissolve a regional government and call an early election.
Until these could be held, provisionally in January, he is proposing central government ministers take over the power of Catalan officials.
Mr Rajoy said his aim was to ‘restore normality’ but Mr Puigdemont said it was the ‘ worst attack against the institutions and the people of Catalonia since the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco’.
The move would see some or all of the area’s politicians ousted and possibly even thrown behind bars. Spain’s state attorney said ‘ a complaint is being prepared for rebellion’ against Mr Puigdemont and other independence leaders. If charged, they could face up to 30 years in jail. Protesters are expected to form a human shield around him to try to prevent his arrest.
The senate will vote on the plan on Friday, and is expected to approve it. The current Catalan government is preparing its response. Mr Turull said ‘doing nothing doesn’t figure in our plans’. Mr Dastis said if Mr Puig- demont’s government continued to try to rule they would be acting like ‘rebels’.
He also further inflamed tensions yesterday by saying some photos showing police violence against voters during the referendum were ‘ fake’, adding: ‘There have been a lot of alternative facts and fake news here.’ Human Rights Watch responded by saying detailed investigations had found national police had used ‘excessive force’.
Protesters took to the streets of Barcelona again on Saturday. One, Joan Portet, 58, said: ‘We are here because the Spanish government made a coup without weapons against us.’ Yester- day a smaller pro-unity protest was held. The EU has faced criticism for its inaction. European Council president Donald Tusk has explicitly ruled out EU mediation in Spain, but has said he is ‘in permanent contact’ with Mr Rajoy, suggesting support for the central government.
Comment
‘A coup without weapons’