Catalonia: The Rebel State Updated…
Catalan President accuses the King of Spain for being the government’s puppet.
President Carles Puigdemont has called for dialogue with Madrid, but after little to no response, he has publicly stated his plans for a declaration of independence.
Catalonia’s President Carles Puigdemont has blamed the King of Spain for acting as a mouthpiece for the Spanish government as the nation delves deeper into conflict. Puigdemont has vowed to move forward with plans to declare independence over the next week.
Speaking just three days after his government’s highly controversial independence referendum, which was met with extreme police violence, Puigdemont said that his people were united more than they have ever been before; but added he was disappointed by the King’s lack of diplomacy and insight into the situation.
“The king endorses the discourse and policies of the government of [prime minister Mariano] Rajoy, which has been catastrophic for Catalonia and deliberately ignores the millions of Catalans who do not think like them,” he said.
Sending a message directly to the king, Puigdemont said: “Not like this. Your decision yesterday disappointed many people in Catalonia.”
“I have to represent all of Catalonia’s citizens,” Puigdemont said. “On Sunday we had a referendum under the most difficult circumstances and set an example of who we are. Peace and accord is part of who we are. We have to apply the results of the referendum. We have to present the results of the referendum to parliament.”
Close to 1000 people were injured after the Spanish police attempted to prevent the vote by raiding and destroying polling stations, assaulting would-be voters and firing rubber bullets into the crowds.
Though the Spanish authorities’ tried their best to prevent the referendum, as well as the government of Spain and the country’s constitutional court declaring the referendum illegal, 2.26 million Catalans of the 5.3 million registered to vote took part in the elections. According to the Catalan government, 90% of the participants voted for the region to become an Independent state.
The Spanish government was quick to respond to this outcome. The deputy prime minister, Soraya Såenz de Santamaria, said that the Catalan president had squandered an opportunity to steer the region back toward coexistence, adding: “If Mr. Puigdemont wants to talk or negotiate or send mediators, he knows perfectly well what he needs to do: get back on the legal path that he should never have abandoned.”
The EU has called for the Spanish and Catalan governments to bridge the gap and begin talks to come to a peaceful resolution. However, the EU has stated that Madrid has the right to use “proportionate force” to uphold the law, which seemingly feels like that they do not recognize the struggle of the Catalan people or its need for more autonomy.
The EU has stated that violence does not resolve any problem, but in the same breath does not want to side with Catalan, providing support for the Spanish government.
This lack of support from the EU and the King of Spain, has given the people of Catalonia an uphill battle to gain its independence and identity.
