JxCat spokesperson accuses ERC of being ‘passive accomplice’ to Torra’s situation in parliament

Laura Borràs, spokesperson for Junts per Catalunya in the Spanish congress, has accused the Esquerra party of being a "passive accomplice" to Catalan president Quim Torra’s situation, in which he was stripped of his status as an MP.

In an interview with HuffPost, Borràs accused fellow pro-independence party Esquerra of not supporting the Catalan parliament’s decision to defend Torra, which they had voted for previously. She said this showed that "repression was bearing fruit."

"This path is extremely dangerous because if you give in to repression, you are telling the repressor that they can continue to act in this way." she added.

Borràs went on to claim that what rivals Esquerra call "pragmatic independence" is for her "lifelong autonomy" and "kind of giving up." "If those in prison and in exile have not done so, neither will we."

On the potential of a coalition between ERC, the Socialists, and non-aligned Podem following the forthcoming Catalan election, Borràs said "it smells like trouble," adding that the last time there was such an agreement it was "very damaging" for Catalonia.

Asked who will be the JxCat candidate in the election, Borràs said she doesn't know because "the JxCat candidate is always Puigdemont, who is the legitimate president of Catalonia."