The Spanish government continues to downplay the actions of the Catalan independence movement and of president Carles Puigdemont from abroad, saying it doubts that the 45,000 demonstrators Belgian police say took part in today's rally in Brussels, were only independence-supporting Catalans. Sources, after today's cabinet meeting, said that they had seen flags from the Flemish independence movement, a black lion rampant on a yellow background.
The dispute over the number follows their silence over Puigdemont's actions since he left for Belgium to avoid going to prison. Deputy prime minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría did discuss the president today, however, attacking what she describes as members of the public travelling to see the candidate, instead of the other way round. "It's very significant. Normally the one standing is the one who has to go to see the public", she said. She also emphasised that the protesters had the right to demonstrate because they have "Spanish ID and belong to the European Union".
Her words come after Puigdemont, a few days ago, denounced the EU for not having given support to the independence movement and suggesting a referendum to solve the situation. Following this, Santamaría was especially hard, saying that the independence process is "the most anti-Catalan proposal that has been made in history", for having created a "social fracture" as well as consequences for the economy. Similarly, she said that the independence movement's leaders themselves are those who have recently questioned it for being "impossible, immature and inviable". "It says more about their competence than their ideas," she said.
In this context, the central executive avoids commenting on the surveys which predict their PP (Popular Party) will fall to 6 or 7 seats in Catalonia, as they refuse to comment on potential post-election pacts. On the other hand, she will evaluate the "normality" she sees in the process of the application of article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. "I want to thank all the employees of the Catalan government for their involvement. Ordinary management is being carried out," said the deputy prime minister. Santamaría will appear before the Spanish Senate on 18th December to report on the intervention, days before the two month deadline the central government had set to report.