Catalonia dictatorship

USPA NEWS - Forty-two years after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, more than 7.5 million Spaniards lived this week a new dictatorial episode that embarrasses Democrats around the world. An episode promoted and carried out by manipulative political leaders, trumpeters of the truth and endowed with a cynicism that scandalizes Spain.

It is less than a month before Catalan independentists, who today have government responsibilities, celebrate their announced secession referendum. A consultation contrary to International Law, to the provisions of the United Nations, to the Treaties of the European Union, to the Spanish Constitution and even to the Statute itself that regulates the autonomy of this Spanish region. A consultation, therefore, completely illegal and has been suspended by the Spanish Constitutional Court, as well as the Political Transiency Act passed this week by the regional Parliament of Catalonia.

In this context, the situation in Catalonia brushes the chaos. Only a third of Catalan municipalities have shown their support for the referendum, but represent a minority of the population. Barcelona will not cede premises for the celebration of the consultation and neither will the second most populous municipality of Catalonia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, or the provincial capitals of Lleida and Tarragona. The map of support to the illegal referendum may change until October 1, but today the threats of the Spanish Government and the courts of justice to take criminal reprisals against the politicians who promote or allow the consultation weigh heavily.

Catalonia celebrated Monday September 11 its regional festival. For this reason, during the last days the Catalan authorities have appealed to the population to become involved in the organization of the referendum and the president of the regional government, Carles Puigdemont, stated in a speech that, despite the suspension of the consultation ordered by the Constitutional Court, "the convocation of the referendum continues in force". However, a poll published Sunday by Catalan newspapers revealed that 56% of citizens in Catalonia prefer to negotiate with Madrid rather than unilaterally declare the independence of their region.