Madrid Imposes Direct Rule Over Catalonia
by Stephen Lendman
As expected, Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy suspended Catalan self-governance after a Saturday morning cabinet meeting.
A regime statement said “(a)t an emergency meeting on Saturday, the cabinet will approve measures to be put before the senate to protect the general interest of Spaniards, including the citizens of Catalonia, and to restore constitutional order in the autonomous community.”
It criticized Catalan officials for “deliberately and systematically seeking institutional confrontation, despite the serious damage it is causing to coexistence and Catalonia’s economy.”
Ahead of Saturday’s action, a regime spokesman lied, claiming Catalan autonomy won’t be suspended.
Its officials will be replaced by Madrid “administrators,” its powers stripped once Rajoy’s-controlled Senate ratifies his diktat next week - despotically usurping power over Catalan self-governance.
He called for snap elections “in a maximum of six months.” President Puigdemont alone has this authority, stripped from him once Madrid’s Senate acts.
Puigdemont, Vice President Oriol Junqueras, and 12 Catalan ministers will be dismissed, Rajoy usurping power over the region, intending elections “as soon as institutional normality is restored,” he said, turning truth on its head adding:
“The Catalan self-rule is not suspended, but its legality is being restored” - by despotically replacing it with Madrid rule until snap elections install regime puppet governance to do its bidding.
Measures to be imposed also apply to Catalan parliamentarians, its legislative powers stripped.
Actions they wish to vote on require approval from a “designated” Madrid official. Catalan public radio and television are affected, their programming requiring permission from Rajoy appointed “administrators.”
Catalan Vice President Junqueras urged independence supporters to rally later on Saturday in Barcelona “against totalitarianism,” tweeting:
“Today more than ever, let’s defend democracy and civil and political rights.”
Puigdemont is expected to address the rally. Earlier he vowed to formally declare independence if Madrid imposed rule over the region.
Spain’s opposition PODEMOS party called for Rajoy’s ouster. Spaniards are ill-served by his repressive government.
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