Puigdemont Criticizes Repression in Spain

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont made a significant return to Spain from southern France, addressing a crowd of approximately 3,500 separatist supporters in Barcelona on August 8. During his speech, Puigdemont expressed his grievances regarding the “repression” he has faced since 2017, despite being free from the police force established to apprehend him. He emphasized the importance of perseverance in their pro-independence stance, stating, “We do not have the right to resign.” The event coincided with the inauguration of Salvador Illa, leader of the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC), as the new president of the regional government, known as the Generalitat. Puigdemont criticized the Spanish government for its treatment of separatists, asserting that their actions undermine the credibility of Spanish democracy. He reiterated that holding a referendum and adhering to the Catalan Parliament's mandate should not be considered a crime, referencing the controversial independence referendum held on October 1, 2017. Illa, who won the snap regional elections on May 12, lacks a sufficient majority to govern independently and has had to negotiate support from the left-wing separatist Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). This has led to concessions, including increased self-governing powers for Catalonia. Despite an amnesty law introduced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which pardons certain crimes committed by separatist activists, embezzlement charges against Puigdemont remain unaddressed. Both JxCat and ERC hold crucial positions in the Spanish national parliament, impacting the Sánchez coalition government’s stability.