Russia Won Catalonia’s Referendum?
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Responsible editors wouldn’t touch this accusation, disgraceful rubbish, not truth-telling.
Neocon CIA-connected Washington Post editors featured it, headlining “Catalonia held a referendum. Russia won.”
Ahead of Sunday’s vote, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman issued the following statement:
“We believe that the situation in Catalonia is an internal Spanish affair. We are certain the events in Catalonia should proceed strictly in compliance with the existing Spanish legislation.”
“We interpret the Catalonian authorities’ so-called independence referendum scheduled for October 1, just as other unilateral initiatives by local legislators, in the context of the decisions on the issue by the Constitutional Court of Spain.”
“In our relations with Spain we proceed from the unconditional principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country.”
I highly respect Maria, her boss Sergey Lavrov and Vladimir Putin. In a same day article, I explained self-determination is a universal right, affirmed in the UN Charter and other international law - Catalans entitled to it. So are Palestinians, Kurds and other people everywhere.
Russia had nothing to do with supporting, promoting or otherwise influencing the outcome of Catalonia’s referendum. No evidence suggests it.
First off, WaPo turned truth on its head, claiming Sunday’s vote was “irresponsible…in violation of the law and, most likely, the wishes of the majority of the region’s residents.”
The UN Charter and other international law explain otherwise. The 90% majority vote speaks for itself.
Some pre-election polls showed over 80% support for independence. WaPo lied claiming they “showed a solid majority opposed a split with Spain.” Again, Sunday’s overwhelming “Yes” vote needs no further explanation.
WaPo: “(T)he Catalan nationalists’ only backers are separatist-ruled Scotland, the pariah government of Venezuela and Russia’s intelligence and propaganda apparatus, which mobilized its media outlets and social media bots in support of the separatists. Moscow evidently perceives the Catalan movement as another vehicle for dividing and weakening the democratic West.”
Fact: Scotland correctly supports the right of self-determination, so far denied its people by Britain. Ahead of its September 2014 independence referendum, most UK and independent polls showed the outcome was too close to call.
In the run-up to the vote, pro-independence supporters gained strength. Some analysts believed enough to win. Instead they lost by a 55 - 45% margin.
Critics claimed vote-tampering. Registered voters found their names stricken from rolls, disenfranchising them. Make your own judgment about what happened.
Venezuela’s the hemisphere’s model democracy - polar opposite America’s sham system. WaPo’s remarks about Russia are part of its consistent vilification of the country and its leadership.
Separately, Yahoo News absurdly said “Russia’s interest in Catalonia is clear,” claiming a deal was struck to support its independence in return for recognizing Crimea as sovereign Russian territory (which it is legally) and “drop(ping) sanctions against Moscow” - imposed by Madrid, not the regional government.
Media scoundrels use every dirty trick in the book to serve their agenda, featuring rubbish instead of hard truths - Russia the main country to vilify.
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