Catalonia’s fury after ‘the worst attack since Franco’
THE Catalan president last night branded the Spanish government’s attempt to strip the region of its autonomy as the worst attack on the region since General Franco’s dictatorship.
In fierce comments that triggered memories of Spain’s notorious Fascist leader, Carles Puigdemont lashed out at prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s moves to sack Catalonia’s government and call fresh elections within six months.
Mr Rajoy had earlier taken the radical step of triggering Article 155 of the Spanish constitution to impose direct rule over Catalonia – and even threatened to arrest the Catalan president.
But Mr Puigdemont accused Mr Rajoy of setting out to ‘humiliate’ Catalonia and described his actions as an ‘attack on demo- cracy’. He called it ‘the worst act of aggression against the institutions and the people of Catalonia since the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco’. In a TV address, he said: ‘I ask the parliament to meet in a plenary session during which we, the representatives of the citizens’ sovereignty, will be able to decide over this attempt to liquidate our government and our democracy and act in consequence.’
Coming just three weeks after a disputed independence referendum descended into violence, the move marked the first time direct rule has been imposed since the restoration of democracy in 1977 after the end of Franco’s rule.
Yesterday, thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona to demonstrate against the move and the jailing of independence leaders Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.
Earlier, Spain’s Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI sought to ease tensions when they visited a village in Asturias, north-west Spain.
Mr Rajoy said he had no choice but to impose direct rule because the Catalan government’s actions were ‘contrary to the law and seeking confrontation’.
He added: ‘We are triggering Article 155 because no government of any democratic country, I insist none, can accept that the law is ignored, that the law is violated.’
The measures must now be approved by Spain’s upper house, the Senate, on Friday.
Spanish officials are poised to arrest Mr Puigdemont and charge him with rebellion if he declares independence, a charge which could see him face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, born in Catalonia and a former manager of Barcelona, commented on the crisis after his team’s 3-0 win over Burnley. ‘It’s a really sad day for democracy. I thought in the 21st Century, those kind of things didn’t happen,’ he said.