Madrid Imposes Direct Rule Over Catalonia

VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: 

stephenlendman.org 

(Home – Stephen Lendman). 

Contact at [email protected].

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.

VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home – Stephen Lendman). Contact at [email protected].

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html


Comment on Global Research Articles on our Facebook page

Become a Member of Global Research


Articles by: Stephen Lendman

About the author:

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]