CATALONIA
Spain moves toward military rule in Catalonia
By Alex Lantier
12 October 2017
In a menacing speech to the Spanish Congress on Wednesday, Popular
Party (PP) Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stated that, in response to
Catalan regional Premier Carles Puigdemont’s speech affirming the
October 1 independence referendum, he was preparing to invoke Article
155 of the Spanish Constitution. This provision allows Madrid to suspend
the authority of the Catalan regional government and seize control of
the region’s finances and administration.
With the Spanish media
discussing the invocation of Article 116 to impose a state of emergency
or state of siege, it is clear that Rajoy is moving rapidly to establish
military rule not only in Catalonia, but across all of Spain.
Army sources told El País Wednesday morning that they are preparing to
move into Catalonia and crush any opposition from sections of the
17,000-strong Catalan regional police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, or
civilians loyal to the Catalan nationalist parties. Under the attack
plan, code-named Cota de Malla (Chain Mail), the army will back police
and Guardia Civil operations in Catalonia. It will march significant
forces into the region to support two units already there—a motorized
infantry battalion in Barcelona and an armored battalion in Sant Climent
Sescebes.
This plan has been in preparation for a considerable
period of time, according to El País. It was nearly invoked by Rajoy
after the August 17 terror attack in Barcelona.
Rajoy is acting
with the full support of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and on the
basis of clear signals from the Podemos party that it will not oppose
moves towards military dictatorship.
