Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Key Figures in the Independence Battle of Spain's Catalonia Region

by VOA News

   Key figures in the push for independence in Spain's Catalonia region:

   'Carles Puigdemont
     * President of the autonomous region since January 2016
     * Worked as a journalist before entering politics
     * Served as mayor of the city of Girona
     * Has long been an advocate of independence for Catalonia

   'Mariano Rajoy
     * Prime minister of Spain since December 2011
     * Championed austerity measures in response to the country's
       financial crisis
     * Faced public opposition and his Popular Party lost its
       parliamentary majority in 2015
     * For the past year he has led a minority government
     * Has strongly opposed Catalonia's independence efforts

   Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart
     * Key figures in the Catalonia separatist movement
     * Sanchez heads the Catalan National Assembly
     * Cuixart leads Omnium Cultural
     * Both were arrested on accusations they provoked violence against
       police during a pro-independence march last month
     * Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest their detention