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Catalan, Spanish Leaders Pledge Escalation in Independence Standoff

by VOA News

   Catalonia's leader Carles Puidgemont said Thursday the Catalan
   parliament will go forward with a vote on independence if the Spanish
   government does not engage in dialogue and follows through on its
   threat to strip the region of its autonomy.

   Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had given Puidgemont a Thursday morning
   deadline to clarify whether he had in fact already declared
   independence following a referendum earlier this month.

   Puidgemont made a symbolic declaration of independence in an address
   last week, but said he was suspending any formal steps in favor of
   talks with the government in Madrid. He delivered his updated stance in
   a letter Thursday shortly before the deadline.

   Rajoy's office quickly responded by saying it planned a special Cabinet
   meeting for Saturday to trigger Article 155 of Spain's constitution,
   which gives the government the power to take away some or all of
   Catalonia's autonomy.

   Voters in Catalonia chose in favor of independence in the Oct. 1
   referendum, but fewer than half of those eligible to cast a ballot took
   part, with opponents boycotting the process. Rajoy's government
   dismissed the referendum as illegal.