Parliament condemns Spanish “dirty war” against pro-independence politicians

The Catalan Parliament approved on Thursday the results of an investigation which concludes that the Spanish government played a “dirty war” against pro-independence politicians, using law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to discredit political rivals. The resolution was supported by pro-independence parties, the ruling-coalition Together for Yes (JxS) and anti-capitalist CUP, but also CSQP, which includes the Catalan branch of Spanish left-wing Podemos.

The investigation was conducted by a parliamentary commission formed by JxS, CUP and CSQP. Initially, other parties were part of the commission too, but quit alleging that pro-independence parties were instrumentalizing the investigation.

The Catalan branch of Spanish ruling People’s Party voted against the findings, which conclude that Spanish president, Mariano Rajoy, was aware of the plot. The Socialists (PSC) and unionist C’s abstained. 

JxSí, CSQP and CUP have called for a deeper investigation into the media, and police, as well as demanding that Rajoy, alongside Vice President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría and other senior officials, be held responsible, referring to the political mechanisms at work as “state sewers”.

This “dirty war”, which came to be known as “Operation Catalonia” first came to light last June, with the publication in the newspaper Publico of various recorded conversations between high-ranking government officials.

Former Minister of Home Affairs Jorge Fernández Díaz was caught on tape asking then director of Catalonia’s anti-fraud office, Daniel de Alfonso, for information to defame political opponents in Catalonia in October 2014.

The investigation concluded that this so-called smear campaign was directed by Fernández Díaz, with the collusion of Rajoy, among other top officials. It is supposed the operation was carried out by a dozen police officers and senior officials of the Spanish police, through the collaboration of "connected" journalists and private detectives. Even prosecutors and judges are purported to have connived in “Operation Catalonia”. Madrid has consistently denied the accusations.

The commission believes that a “general cause” was set up against Catalonia’s independence intentions, only with the aim of ending political corruption in a “strictly partisan” sense. The groups noted that some information was indeed saved until independence movements began to make greater headway.

Among the victims of the dirty war were former Barcelona mayor Xavier Trias, former Catalan president Artur Mas and current Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras, as well as Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias.

The commission’s document states that Spanish police "has never been purified of pro-Franco elements."

Jordi Terrades, of the PSC, has called the investigation an “unacceptable” use of official resources and “an abuse of power”. Matías Alonso of Cs has said the commission had the “clear objective” of discrediting the Spanish state whilst ignoring the corruption that also exists in Catalonia.

Meanwhile, the People’s Party of Catalonia has criticised the commission and its conclusions, denouncing it as an invention of pro-independence politics against state security forces and other official bodies. “What will you do without your external enemy,” they said, “who will you blame then?” 

Spanish Congress acknowledged existence of Operation Catalonia

The Spanish Congress also acknowledged the existence of an “Operation Catalonia” against high-ranking pro-independence supporters when Fernández Díaz headed the Spanish home affairs ministry. Over a period of three months, a special parliamentary commission of the Spanish Parliament investigated and interviewed suspects in the case.The commission’s conclusions stated that there was an “abuse of power by the Spanish government for political purposes” and suggested that the Spanish home affairs minister was aware of the operation.

Moreover, the conclusions found evidence of a police structure led by former Spanish police chiefs that was set up for “monitoring, investigating and pursuing political adversaries,” in order to obstruct the investigations into corruption scandals affecting the governing right-wing People’s Party (PP). All political parties except the PP backed the conclusions. Yet, unlike what the Catalan Parliament is considering, they were not pursued in court.