'Coup to democracy:' Catalan politics react to indictment of officials

The  Spanish Supreme Court's decision to send 25 investigated officials related to the independence case to trial, sparked immediate criticism by many in Catalan politics. The reaction of the far-left CUP party was among the most forceful, deeming the judge’s indictment a “coup to democracy.” Outside the court in Madrid, MP Natàlia Sànchez called on citizens to “mobilize and stand up to a demophobic state.”

The CUP is one of the four parties with officials indicted in this judicial case. All four – the CUP, Junts per Catalunya, Esquerra, and Catalunya en Comú – released a joint statement in Parliament, on Friday afternoon, to reject the judge’s decision.

This manifesto was approved in the chamber’s spokespeople meeting – with the unionists’ opposition – and it denounces the “unacceptable situation of politics judicialization affecting the whole civil society, its institutions and parliamentary debates.” It also points out the “violation of civil, fundamental and political rights affecting all citizens.”  

During the joint statement, both CUP and Esquerra representatives rejected “Spain’s interferences” and called on people to “persist.” A member for Puigdemont’s candidacy, Junts per Catalunya, claimed that the current situation is an “abuse and an unfair situation,” while Catalunya en Comú spokeswoman said the current Spanish government is undertaking a “democratic regression.”

The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, suspended the local plenary session to avoid certain discrepancies between parties mixing with local topics in what she deemed as an “exceptional situation” of Catalan politics. Colau is one of the leaders of the Catalunya en Comú party.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Catalan Socialists, Miquel Iceta, urged for the presumption of innocence for all indicted leaders, and highlighted the “speed” of the judge in sending them to trial.

The Spanish president, Mariano Rajoy, from Brussels, called on for everyone to "respect the judicial decisions."