Catalan political prisoners say Spain opts for revenge instead of dialogue

Minutes before re-entering prison after their low categorization was suspended, Catalan political prisoners Oriol Junqueras, Raül Romeva, Quim Forn, Jordi  Cuixart, and Jordi Sànchez rallied against Spanish authorities for a lack of dialogue and warned that they will continue to stand up for their freedoms. The pro-independence leaders returned to Lledoners at eight o’clock on Tuesday after a judge suspended the prison category which allowed them to leave jail during the day midweek and on weekends. Spain’s public prosecutor had requested the measure earlier in the day. Now, they will have to be confined to their cell for 14 days as a preventative measure for Covid-19.

Each of the political prisoners arrived in time to greet and speak to attendees. Resigned, but not surprised because, they say, they expected this news from the first moment. They sent messages of perseverance, but also many harsh ones against the Spanish state that, they say, opts for the path of “revenge, and not dialogue.” In Lledoners, they were met by vice-president Pere Aragonès, the president of the Parliament, Roger Torrent, the parliamentary groups of ERC and JxCAT, and hundreds of people.

Amnesty and revenge

Jordi Cuixart was the first to speak and said that they draw strength “from the impotence and lack of dialogue from Spain.” He called for an amnesty to end the “repression,” and addressed the elderly and the youngest so that they do not give up or “water down” their dreams. “We have every right in the world to disobey, disobey as many unjust laws as are necessary, do not be afraid of imprisonment or repression,” he said.

Joaquim Forn assured that from prison they will do “whatever it takes” and that they will continue to persist. Raül Romeva insisted that these gestures will not take away any glimmer of hope and has said that the road to independence will be “long and costly, but irreversible.” ERC President Oriol Junqueras said that the latest actions showed that Spain is afraid. “They know they are not winning at the polls and they can only do so if they use non-democratic tools because, in democracy, the champions are us,” he added. Finally, Jordi Sànchez called the suspension of the third degree “revenge” and criticized the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, for a lack of dialogue.

The political prisoners entered Lledoners cheered on by hundreds of people who have given them signs of support and warmth at all times.