BREAKING: Spanish Government to Contain Catalonia via “all necessary measures”

Since Catalonia Declared independence late last month, news coverage of the diplomatic battle has died down but tensions have not.

The North-easternmost province of Spain, which contains Barcelona and a fifth of the nation’s GDP, Catalonia has a long, but recently vocal, separatist movement. Since the October 1st referendum and subsequent Declaration of Independence signed by both the Catalan President and legislature, President Carles Puigdemont has since postponed official independence in an effort to engage the mother country in some sort of an amicable divorce, with a mediator. Madrid has so far been unwilling to speak with Barcelona on equal terms.

As of October 11th, President Mariano Rajoy of Spain told Puigdemont he had five days to clear up the situation and rescind his nation’s democratic vote for independence. If Catalonia does not comply and “return to lawfulness” Rajoy indicated that the Spanish government would remove the region’s elected government and their power to, even partially, self-govern under Spain’s constitutional Article 155.

Article 155 gives Spain’s central government “all measures necessary to compel” any self governing region back into compliance.

If a self-governing community does not fulfill the obligations imposed upon it by the constitution or other laws, or acts in a way that is seriously prejudicial to the general interest of Spain, the government, after having lodged a complaint with the president of the self-governing community and failed to receive satisfaction therefore, may, following approval granted by the overall majority of the senate, take all measures necessary to compel the community to meet said obligations, or to protect the above mentioned general interest. – Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution

If the violence initiated by the Spanish “Guardia Civil,” the paramilitary arm of the Spanish National Police, during the independence referendum on the first is any indication, the citizens of Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia have a right to feel trepidatious. Scenes of violent police brutality; beatings, use of mace and rubber bullets on non-violent citizens in poling places, are still fresh in the fears of Catalans. It is only through true democratic heroism that the Catalan people prevailed and exercised their right to self determination. Though these new repressions are only agitate older, deeply set wounds.Catalan firefighters protecting civilians from Civil Guard dispersement tactics.

The Catalan people have a history of being oppressed under the rule of the Spanish federal government. When Mussolini and Hitler gained and lost power in Europe there was one more Fascist dictator in Europe who the allied powers and history seemed to forget. Francisco Franco killed thousands, suppressed political dissent, and enforced a hegemonic society ruled entirely by Spanish (excluding Catalans, Galatians, and Basques) men, all others where socially inferior. The Fascist rule in Spain ended only with Franco’s death in 1975.

Anti-Independence marches across Spain have been notably Francoist/Fascist, though this is hardly covered by American news.

Many nonviolent solutions have been offered, but Spain seems unlikely to budge. Without international mediation, a military, or even any form of armed citizenry to support them Catalans will be left defenseless to Spanish federal “coercive” measures come a definitive answer from President Puigdemont. The people of Catalonia are now at a crossroads. They will either be left completely without sovereignty or completely independent and sovereign, but their time as “semi-independent” seems to have ended in a hail of police batons.

Humbly, Puigdemont may have already accepted his fate as a political prisoner for his nation, saying publicly, “I do not want to declare independence, I want to make it happen.” when asked why he has elected to try to work things out peaceably with Spain. Should Catalonia confirm its independence, Puigdemont will likely be arrested, along with the rest of the pro-independence coalition, liberal and conservative, government of Catalonia.

As of Monday, October 16th, President Puigdemont sent a letter to Madrid asking again for some sort of agreement on independence. Madrid has stated it rejects Catalonia’s response and has arrested Catalan political leaders and organizers. The people of Catalonia have called for the UN to intervene and for continual displays of independence on the city streets. So far, it remains to be seen what will happen and what Spain will do to subjugate Catalans. We can only hope things remain peaceful.

Viu la República de Catalunya! Catalunya no és Espanya!