Aragonès challenges the State “to win a referendum” on independence

Pere Aragonese He went this Wednesday to one of the most classic dialogue forums in Madrid, the XXI Century Club, to defend the need to seek now, at this “juncture” that he sees as propitious, a way out of the Catalan political conflict. The ‘president’ challenged the Government of Pedro Sanchez to be brave and call an independence referendum. “The referendum is necessary. The State, which defends Catalonia continuing to form part of Spain, must dare to win democratically. The imposition will not lead to any victory. Dare to win a referendum and dare to lose,” he launched. In the front row, the spokesperson for the Executive and the Minister for Territorial Policy, Isabel Rodriguez, the head of Universities, Joan Subirats, the ERC spokesman in Congress, Gabriel Rufian, and the general secretary of UGT, Pepe Alvarez. Deputies from EH Bildu and the PDECat also attended, but not from Junts. At the event, Aragonès was presented to the public by the former mayor of Madrid Manuela Carmena, which defined him as “a man of dialogue”.

The head of the Catalan Executive recalled the consultation in Scotland on several occasions and said that this is how “mature, advanced societies” react when they are presented with nationalist challenges. “We have to be creative. imaginative to find the possible formula to make the referendum possible”, he pointed out. Neither in his introductory speech nor in the subsequent conversation with the press and the Aragonès members did he show concern for not having a date for the new meeting of the dialogue table with the government. He did complain, however, that the Sánchez Executive has not put any on that table “proposal” yet. The Generalitat de Catalunya proposes “amnesty and self-determination”, it wants to achieve independence through “a democratic process recognized by all parties”. “This is our proposal. What is the State’s proposal?”, he claimed. In his opinion, “speculating over time” and the dialogue table is not an option because it only contributes to generating “doubts & rdquor; and the Catalan citizenry wants “certainties”.

Vox’s excuse

The pro-independence leader admitted that Spain is experiencing a “difficult” political context, given the possibility that a “coalition of the extreme right and the extreme right” arrives at Moncloa in the next general elections. But the risk of the sum of PP and Vox, he continued, cannot be used to continue in immobility and not give a solution to Catalonia.

Aragonès now expects from the State the same “courage and will” that it showed before “other challenges” of recent history. Among others, he cited the restoration of the Generalitat before the Constitution was approved and Andalusia’s fast-track access to autonomy. “Catalonia’s right to self-determination is inevitable,” he concluded.

Y what plan B do you have in mind if you can’t get a referendum called? He was asked like that, directly, and he didn’t give any clues. “Now there’s a historical opportunity to negotiate and listen to the positions of both parties. If it crashes, we’ll move on. The important thing is to take advantage of the opportunity now; I am not going to weaken the chances of a negotiation,” he replied.

The members of the XXI Century Club, mostly conservatives, they did not have as many opportunities as on other occasions to put questions to the guest because there were many journalists, although one Ms managed to make him one in which he showed his conviction that Catalonia will not achieve independence from Spain and asked him why he doesn’t dedicate himself “to governing to make Catalonia the best”. The leader replied that to “govern well” he wants “all the tools” and for that he needs “the state tools“.

He was also asked what he would think of the possible return of Carles Puigdemont, in case the European justice gives him guarantees that he will not be arrested and if he is concerned that he could become the leader of the independence movement. Aragonès assured that I would be “happy” if the ‘president’ returned to Catalonia because he wants the “exile situation due to the events of 2017” to end. “I would feel satisfied if this ends up taking place. Regarding the leadership, in a democracy they are resolved in the urns. Recently there have been some results in the elections to the Parliament that have configured the weights of some majorities”, he stated in reference to the fact that ERC surpassed Junts at the polls (although the most voted force was the PSC).

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Aragonès recognized that, in any case, “now there are other priorities” in addition to the “political conflict”, and assured that his Executive has chosen the “republican” recipes to overcome the economic and social ravages that the pandemic has caused in the face of individualistic neoliberalism.