CATALONIA
'In the first part of our conversation, Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan
president in exile, outlined his vision of universal human rights and
the key place the right to self-determination plays in it. He also
addressed what in his view are the deliberately errant portrayals of the
Catalan independence movement, underscoring its fundamentally modern,
democratic and pluralistic nature — which he said contrasts mightily
with the archaic and frequently authoritarian behavior of the Spanish
state.
In the second part of our exchange, Puigdemont explains the
events surrounding his declaration of independence in October 2017, and
the importance of the Catalan movement to the much-needed renewal of
democracy in Europe.'
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