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CATALONIA BIG BANG
I’m
not even mildly amused by some stupid comments here re: Catalonia by
people who know nothing about either Catalonia or Spain, or believe
that sorry clown Vargas Llosa holds any credibility.
I
never suffer fools, gladly or otherwise; I don’t need to because
I’ve always been fiercely independent. I NEVER issue apologies.
Never did. But in this case let’s set the record straight.
I’m
following the Catalonia drama for a number of reasons. Half of my
family is Spanish, including a section that was pure Spanish
Inquisition (without a redeeming Monty Python angle). It’s a pretty
nasty bunch – and I read all the best sources, in at least four
languages, about their “exploits”. It took me decades to finally
take a look at the Inquisition catacombs in Zaragoza. I feel no
affinity with Spain whatsoever – and speak the language only if I
have to, although I’ve always read in Spanish, non-stop; no wonder
my favorite authors are from Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay or Chile.
Fate
though ruled that my – mega-multicultural – only son Nick comes
from a partly Catalan Mom (her Dad’s family, mixed with
Swiss/Brits/Irish); he lives and works in Barcelona; and my grandson
was actually born in Barcelona, he’s technically Catalan. So I
obviously care deeply about their future.
As
a geopolitical analyst, my position on the current drama is similar
to the Argentine cacerolazos in late 2001 to early 2002, some of
which I saw in Buenos Aires fresh from the war in Afghanistan; Que se
Vayan Todos. Out with all the crooks/scoundrels.
The
regional clique aiming at the referendum/independence is rotten - and
corrupt. The PP in power in Madrid is even more rotten - and corrupt,
now also revealing its true Franco-ist colors.
But
the mega-rotten are really those jerks in Brussels – which I also
know very well. The EU – Brussels and “leaders” such as
Rothschild bag boy Macron – are emboldening a Franco-ist bunch in
21st century Europe. This is a fact.
I’ll
be back to the underlying reasons of the Catalonia-Spain fracture in
one of my next columns. What’s clear though is
there’s
only one solution. Kick out the repellent, incompetent and coward
nano-Franco Rajoy, who does not want any dialogue. Explain to
everyone in Catalonia, especially the different strands of the
working class, what independence would mean in practice – something
the current “leaders” are incapable of. Amend this pathetic 1978
constitution. And then launch a comprehensive national dialogue
process. None of this seems to be on the cards – and that’s why
the real tragedy is only beginning. Spain is already broken – and
there will be no turning back.
--Pepe
Escobar
Asked
if there will be 'civil war', MP Francisco Martinez Vazquez says he
'hopes the regional government will step back from what they are
doing'
9
October, 2017
The
Spanish government will intervene to "protect the nation"
if Catalonia declares independence, a former security minister has
said.
Regional
leader Carles Puigdemont is to address the Catalan government on
Tuesday, but there is growing speculation that he will postpone any
declaration after hundreds of thousands marched in support of Spanish
unity at the weekend.
Catalonia
voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence at a referendum on 1
October, but turnout was low and the ballot had been declared illegal
by Spain’s constitutional court.
Speaking
on the BBC’s Today programme on Monday morning, an MP and
ex-minister from the ruling People’s Party, Francisco Martinez
Vazquez, hailed the anti-separatist march on Sunday and warned that
"no one can talk on behalf of the whole of Catalonia".
Mr
Vazquez, who is also a professor of constitutional law, said the
government would not accept a unilateral declaration of independence
"just supported by a part of the Catalan society and a part of
the regional government".
If
Mr Puigdemont did try to declare independence, he warned, Spain will
intercede. "Of course the government will do what the law and
the constitution provides for the government to do," he said.
"It
is not just the government, it is all the other institutions that
make us a country - the constitutional court, the prosecutors -
everyone reacting to protect the national state."
Asked
if Spain risked "civil war" by stepping in, Mr Vazquez
said: "I’m sure that won’t happen. I really hope the
regional government, which is acting in a very improper way, will
step back from what they are doing.
"We
cannot accept that just because someone is saying there is going to
be a disturbance, OK we are going to just accept a breach of the law.
No government in the world would accept that."
Spanish
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in an interview published in Die
Welt on Monday that Spain would not be divided.
Asked
if there was a risk that Spain would be divided, Mr Rajoy said:
"Absolutely not. Spain will not be divided and national unity
will be preserved. We'll do everything that legislation allows to
ensure that."
France,
which would border the new state if the Spanish region achieved
independence, said it would not recognise Catalonia.
In
a TV interview on Monday, European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau
said: "If there were to be a declaration of independence, it
would be unilateral, and it would not be recognised.
"Catalonia
cannot be defined by the vote organised by the independence movement
just over a week ago," the junior minister said. "This
crisis needs to be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish
politics."
A
hasty decision to recognise independence following such a unilateral
declaration would amount to fleeing France's responsibilities, Ms
Loiseau added.
"If
independence were to be recognised - which is not something that's
being discussed - the most immediate consequence would be that
(Catalonia) automatically left the European Union."
Spanish Government Issues Veiled Death Threat To Catalan Leader
9
October, 2017
In
a quite shocking escalation of the rhetoric in Spain, a spokesman for
the ruling People's Party just issued a (barely) veiled death threat
to the President of Catalonia.
"Let's
hope that nothing is declared tomorrow because perhaps the person who
makes the decalartion will end up like the person who made the
declaration 83 years ago."
1. PP spokesman says Puigdemont might end up like Lluis Companys (in 1934) if he declares independence tomorrow…pic.twitter.com/II2HGUtUdH
3. Some people in Spain (here a senior Podemos figure) are interpreting it, though, as Casado suggesting Puigdemont would be shot. twitter.com/pnique/status/…
1. PP spokesman says Puigdemont might end up like Lluis Companys (in 1934) if he declares independence tomorrow…pic.twitter.com/II2HGUtUdH
For
those whose Spanish history is a little shaky, here's a reminder:
LluÃs Companys i Jover (21 June 1882 – 15 October 1940) was the President of Catalonia (Spain), from 1934 and during the Spanish Civil War.
He was a lawyer and leader of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) political party. Exiled after the war, he was captured and handed over by the Nazi secret police, the Gestapo, to the Spanish State of Francisco Franco, who had him executed by firing squad in 1940.
Companys is the only incumbent democratically elected president in European history to have been executed.
Seems
about as clear as it gets from Rajoy's PP to Puigdemont - Call
for Independence and Die!
That
does not seem to be the reconciliatory tone the market has been
hoping for.
And
as TheSpainReport.com reports, Catalan
separatists and others in Spain immediately reacted with fury to Mr.
Casado's ambiguous comments.
Republican Catalan Left (Esquerra, ERC) MP Joan Tardà tweeted: "Yes, Pablo Casado, we know how our President Companys ended up, shot by the army. Does it make you happy to remind our defenceless people of it?".
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias tweeted: "Casado says Puigdemont might end up like Companys, who was tortured and shot.Either he is ignorant or irresponsibly provocative".
Iñigo Errejón (Podemos) called on Mr. Casado to "rectify immediately or resign. They are arsonists".
BREAKING: FRANCE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE CATALONIA INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION
H.A
Goodman
French
European affairs minister urges both sides to negotiate their way out
of crisis triggered by last week’s referendum
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