As Catalonia Independence Referendum Nears, Madrid Escalates Tensions
Raül Romeva told that The issue that is at stake today isn’t the independence — or not — of Catalonia,
20, 2017
MADRID — The Spanish police detained more than a dozen people in the region of Catalonia on Wednesday,
drastically escalating tensions between the national government and Catalan separatists.
As the referendum date nears, Mr. Rajoy, who leads a minority government, finds himself under increasing
pressure in Madrid to explain how the conflict over possible Catalan secession spun out of control.
On Wednesday, Miquel Iceta, the leader of the Socialist Party of Catalonia, called on the regional government to abandon plans for the October referendum
and stop fueling a secessionist conflict, "which will lead us all toward disaster." Follow Raphael Minder on Twitter @RaphaelMinder.
The police raided the offices of the Catalan regional government early Wednesday
and arrested at least 14 people, including Josep Maria Jové, secretary general of economic affairs.
Recent opinion polls have shown support for Catalan independence waning, but they also show
that most people in the region want the right to vote on Catalonia’s future.