Spanish Government spokesperson Íñigo Méndez de Vigo has claimed this Saturday that “the referendum has already been nullified through the imposition of the rule of law” thanks to the "blow" struck today by Civil Guard agents against the Catalan Government's Telecoms and IT Centre near Barcelona. According to Méndez de Vigo, the operation sought to prevent “telematic voting and the counting of votes”, and was carried out “within the strict framework of the law” and “under a court order”.
The referendum, he said, “is outside the law, it has no international support, no electoral commission, there are no ballot papers, electoral roll, or polling places, and as of today we also know that no telematic counting of the results is possible either”. As well, he argued that “unlike the other 35 votes that have been carried out in Catalonia since 1977”, this is the first in which the requirement for no campaigning on the day before the vote has not been respected, as several of the referendum's proponents are out canvassing”. For this reason he wanted to send a message of “serenity and calm” to the Spanish people and to assure them “that their government is following events in Catalonia in detail".
Méndez de Vigo did not want to comment on whether the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, will make a public appearance this Sunday to evaluate events in Catalonia. However, sources within his team have indicated that the PM will be in his office. Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, as well as Méndez de Vigo himself will be accompanying him at the Moncloa, the Prime Ministerial residence.
Possible appearances
According to Méndez de Vigo, possible public appearances will be decided during the morning of referendum day. “We will watch as the morning goes on and will take appropriate decisions, but in any case will keep Spaniards informed at all times of these events”, he said.
Regarding the rallies in defence of the “unity of Spain” that have taken place in Madrid and other Spanish cities this Saturday, Méndez de Vigo assured that his government “always respects the rights to free speech, assembly and protest, for everybody”. “Spain is a mature and advanced democracy and naturally, people express their concerns, desires and aspirations”.