Fascism’s Ugly Face in Spain
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Spain is a fascist dictatorship, PM Rajoy a tinpot despot, police state viciousness overriding democratic rights in the country, his iron fist smashing Catalan pro-independence politicians - with full support and encouragement from EU leaders and Washington, lawless governance their specialty.
On Thursday, eight deposed Catalan ministers were imprisoned without bail. Spain’s kangaroo National Court jailed them, making a mockery of justice, discarded to enforce ruthlessness.
The officials, including deposed Vice President Oriol Junqueras are now behind bars, falsely charged with sedition, rebellion and misuse of state funds.
Others imprisoned include ministers of Home Affairs (Joaquim Forn), Foreign Affairs (Raul Romeva), Governance (Meritxell Borras), Presidency (Jordi Turull), Social Affairs (Dolors Bassa), Justice (Carles Mundo) and Territory (Josep Rull).
Aiming to separate them, they were sent to five different prisons. An arrest warrant against deposed President Carles Puigdemont and four of his ministers remains outstanding.
They’re in Brussels, seeking legal guarantees against unfair arrests and prosecution, otherwise intending to stay for now at least.
The hanging judge imposing sentence unjustifiably said he acted against individuals involved in causing an uprising in the country.
They did no such thing. They declared independence from fascist Spain, their fundamental right under international law - jailing them a lawless act.
At midday across Catalonia, work stoppages protested the unacceptable jailing of its official, the third action of this kind since the October 1 referendum.
On Wednesday, a statement from Catalonia’s “legitimate government” in Brussels denounced unjustifiable accusations against Puigdemont and other Catalan officials.
They’ll remain in Brussels, won’t return to Spain for witch-hunt proceedings - rejecting the order to appear in National High Court at 9:00 AM Thursday morning.
Puigdemont and his ministers aren’t in Brussels to avoid justice, they said, rather “to demand it.” They’ll respond to judicial questions through “mechanisms already foreseen in the European Union for these circumstances,” adding:
“The commitment of this government with the defense of the rights and freedoms of the Catalan people is total.”
Madrid issued an arrest warrant for Puigdemont and his ministers out of the country in Brussels.
Extradition will likely be sought. It’s unclear if Brussels will oblige, whether it’s willing to be complicit with Rajoy’s regime, sharing blame for its ruthlessness.
Tensions are high in Catalonia. Things ahead depend on whether millions for independence will take to the streets to fight for it through nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.
The fate of the new republic hangs in the balance.
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