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The trial at the Supreme Court of Madrid against 12 Catalan separatists accused of having sought to provoke the divorce of Catalonia with Spain has reached its second phase. After hearing the defense lawyers, who argued that the freedoms of their clients were crushed, it is the turn of the official witnesses. And most importantly, the most important of them, the one who at the time of the alleged events (September and October 2017) was the head of the central government, Mariano Rajoy, now in early retirement.
With our correspondent in Madrid, François Musseau
Mariano Rajoy's audition was the most awaited. While the testimony of other ministers in his government may have been heard, the spotlight shifted to the former head of government, who had to make decisions after the October 1, 2017 illegal referendum on self-determination. and the declaration of independence , three weeks later.
Magistrates asked Mariano Rajoy why he failed to engage with Catalan separatist leaders. "To talk to people who only want to talk about a date to end the Spanish Constitution and national sovereignty was simply not possible. In any case not for me, "he explained.
We have seen the former head of government serious and even very tense. He had to answer a delicate question: if the separatist movement acted violently, then why not be more firm against them? And if the Catalan separatists acted peacefully, then why put the region under guardianship ?
" I was really concerned. So, for the first time in history, we have put in place Article 155 of the region's control, an article that is intended for borderline situations , "responded Mariano Rajoy.
The defense of the Constitution is the central argument of Mariano Rajoy. He insisted that he acted as the guarantor of the Spanish legislation and that he acted correctly to " defend the interests and rights of all Spaniards ".
► (Re) read: Spain: the trial of Catalan separatists began under high tension