BARCELONA, Spain – Thousands of supporters crowded around the president of Spain’s Catalonia region, Artur Mas, as he appeared in court for questioning about an independence referendum last year that Madrid deemed as illegal.
Some 400 Catalan mayors and officials, as well as around 2,500 other supporters, stood with Mas outside the Barcelona court on Thursday, cheering for independence for the autonomous region.
Mas has been accused by Madrid of grave disobedience, for organizing last year’s November 9 referendum asking people if they wanted independence from Spain.
The Catalan president and two members of his government, who defended against the same accusation two days ago, are alleging that the referendum was carried out not by them, but by volunteers.
But Mas has taken responsibility for the political organization of the poll.
“I take responsibility for the participation day on November 9; don´t look for anyone else,” he told the judge.
His appearance before the judge on Thursday also had a very symbolic side: on the same day 75 years ago, prominent Catalan leader Lluis Companys was executed by a firing squad by the Spanish anti-Catalan regime.
“I cannot stop thinking about the ironies of history. Seventy-five years ago justice tried to finish with a president , the aspirations of a country, and 75 years later we are at a very special moment,” said Maritxell Borras, the Catalan Government Counselor.
But she warned that, “Despite the obstacles, I am convinced that Catalonia will be what Catalans decide it should be.”
Meanwhile, the leftist Esquerra Republica of Catalonia (ERC) party on Thursday remembered the 1940 execution of Companys, the president of the Generalitad of Catalonia, with a torchlight ceremony.
A year later, the Spanish civil war came to an end, giving the victorious rightist forces of General Francisco Franco the power to throttle Catalan aspirations.
In a tweet Thursday, the ERC said: “We commemorate the fight of Companys, because the fight is what gives us life.” More than 300 people participated in the torchlight march at 6:30 am, the moment Companys was executed 75 years ago.
The accusations against Mas have played in his favor, boosting his political profile at a time when he is negotiating with other political parties to keep his position as Catalan president.
Last month local elections in Catalonia gave new wings to Catalan demands for secession from Spain.
Mas’ “Junts pel Si” (Together for Yes) coalition won 62 of the 135 seats in parliament. The result, which was six seats short of a majority, did not prevent Mas from declaring that the coalition will seek independence.
Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million people, does not have the constitutional power to hold elections for independence.
Local elections last month were a disguised referendum, whose aim was to seek a mandate to start the process of secession from Spain.
The parties in favor of independence obtained 47.8 percent of the votes in the polls. The turnout of 78 percent was also regarded as an important indicator of the Catalan mood.
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