The outlook can seem dark when there are ten men and women in prison, two social activists who have always been characterised by their civil and peaceful struggle in the service of their country and its social and cultural fights, and the majority of the government of Catalonia as elected by its citizens. Because although they say that now there is another government of Catalonia, nobody can deny that this one wasn't elected by anyone. It's simply the fruit of an agreement between PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and PP (Popular Party) through which the PP usurps the government of Catalonia and shares the bounty between a few of its leaders. And that without taking into account what will happen to the members of the Board of the Catalan Parliament who today will appear before the Supreme Court, to all of whom we send our encouragement and support.
Another part of the Catalan government is in Brussels, with president Puigdemont, the only legitimate president that Catalonia has. Simply because he's the fruit of the mandate from the citizens who went to ballot boxes on 27th September 2015, in the Catalan election with the largest turnout in history. Some of us are in prison, in fact we've gone to prison without even having time to plan any defence. The others are in Brussels, in exile, but free. By a decision of the Belgian justice system. The contrast couldn't be clearer. The same situation, the same case, has made the Spanish justice system decree prison ipso facto. And the Belgian justice system, freedom. One or the other has made a wrong decision, doubtlessly.
That the Spanish justice system doesn't act like the European justice system isn't an opinion. It's simply a fact. But the dissonance doesn't end here. The Spanish justice system isn't in a hurry to find out who a certain M. Rajoy of the PP who collected commissions is; in fact, it simply has no interest in finding out. It's not just that the Spanish justice system is today acting different to the Belgian one. It's that the Spanish justice system resolves some cases with maximum, implacable swiftness whilst in others, rather than not being in a rush, it simply ignores them. It shouldn't be so complicated to find out who a certain M. Rajoy who pocketed envelopes full of bank notes is. Question: does no one suspect who M. Rajoy of the PP is? Doesn't that member of the article 155 bloc, Pedro Sánchez of PSOE, so enthusiastic and keen on the unity of Spain know it? Does he really not know it? On the other hand, we see how they want to seize our lives, take everything from us. Leave our families, our children, without anything, with confiscations to a total of 6.3 million euros (£5.6 million, $7.3 million). Without proving absolutely anything, without trial. Really, worse still, saying that not even one euro of those 6.3 million has been spent, as certified by the Treasury Department themselves and yet, at the same time, giving us a bill for that amount. But they don't know, on the other hand, who M. Rajoy was, he of the under the table envelopes. And the envelopes of the upper echelons of the most corrupt party in Europe.
The Spanish justice system isn't in a hurry to find out who a certain M. Rajoy of the PP who collected commissions is; in fact, it simply has no interest in finding out
That the Spanish state has a serious problem of democratic deficiencies is obvious. They can deny it as much as they want. That's how it is. For that reason too we need a healthy state, a fair state, a truly democratic state. Because when arbitrariness installs itself in power, when with normality it's based on something which for everyone is a flagrant democracy of measly quality, the whole system is weakened and the guarantees of the rule of law go bankrupt. For that reason we democrats have the obligation and the need to construct a clean and just country and to be strict with corruption. Corruption is the decline of a society, a corrupt society is an unhealthy society. And in the fight against corruption, we democrats have to be unequivocal. If our struggle is also one of values we have to set an example. Because this virtuosity will also be an ethical and moral victory in the face of the article 155 bloc, in which a veritable industry of corruption resides together. And to obtain this victory, which at the same time legitimises our cause, we cannot leave any cracks, not any. Because however small they may be, they will make an example of them to counter our strength and determination. For that reason too we have to throw all corruption out of Catalonia. And because what we aspire to is to construct a Republic that rises up healthily, without dragging along a single defect. Because corruption harms our society and damages and delegitimises our cause. And this defect, we neither want it, nor can we allow it.
Corruption harms our society and damages and delegitimises our cause. And this defect, we neither want it, nor can we allow it
Likewise, nor can we accept that violence is exercised in the streets of our country. In a country where groups of undesirables can attack or beat dozens of people, more than a hundred, with impunity, coexistence becomes threatened. How is it possible that, despite having multiple pieces of visual evidence of the perpetrators of the attacks, no judge has held them responsible? But, how is it possible? And I wonder again how they can sleep with a clear conscience those who live alongside this violence? How is that they don't at least denounce it to the courts if attacks take place, often, after events or demonstrations in which parties like PP or PSOE take part and/or offer their support? Do they not care about that happening? But in what kind of country or society do they want to live? In one in which you can beat people and it doesn't matter at all? Really? And if one day someone turns on them? Where would that lead us?
Differences have to be solved democratically, ladies and gentlemen of the PP and PSOE. In the name of the sacred unity of Spain you cannot hurt people, ladies and gentlemen of article 155. There are no exceptions. In the name of the sacred unity of Spain you should not be able to attack the Catalan institutions, nor put them in the hands of those who want to destroy Catalan schooling, promote ghettos, control the media or shatter the public health system. Nothing good has ever been built on a basis of blows.
We continue. And with unity of action. That's one of the keys to the victory. Not a victory of some over the others. Let there be no mistake
The outlook will brighten as long as we persist. The resilience to injustice, violence and abuses, to authoritarianism, to evil, has to be our virtue. It's in adversity that our virtue emerges, Aristotle said. And ours is a virtuous people. It always has been and we will not stopping being so now. We continue. Smiling in the face of adversity, overcoming the difficulties and persevering. And with unity of action. That's one of the keys to the victory. Not a victory of some over the others. Let there be no mistake. We all have to savour the victory and, above it, it has to benefit all the citizens of our country. No spirit of revenge, no wish to cause the pain to others that they cause to us. None. But yes wish to live and live together, in freedom.