SPEAKING OF STORMS, A POLITICAL WHIRLWIND IS STILL SPINNING THROUGH SPAIN.
A FEW WEEKS BACK WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE RISING TENSIONS IN SPAIN. SOME PEOPLE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE COUNTRY, THE REGION OF CATALONIA, WANTED TO BREAK FREE AND BECOME THEIR OWN COUNTRY. BUT SPAIN SHUT DOWN THEIR VOTE FOR SEPARATION, AND NOW IS TAKING AWAY THE AREA’S ABILITY TO RULE ITSELF -- AND REMOVING ITS LEADERS UNTIL THEY CAN HOLD ‘ANOTHER’ ELECTION.
IT’S A BIG MOVE. THE GOVERNMENT FILED CHARGES OF SEDITION AGAINST THE OUSTED CATALAN LEADER CARLES PUIGDEMONT.
SEDITION MEANS STIRRING UP A REBELLION AGAINST A GOVERNMENT.
PUIGDEMONT FLED THE AREA FOR BRUSSELS, IN BELGIUM. HE SAID HE IS NOT HIDING FROM JUSTICE, AND WILL RUN IN THE NEW ELECTIONS.
REPORTER ERIN MCLAUGHLIN HEADED TO CATALAN TO TALK WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO STAY UNIFIED WITH SPAIN.
Erin: NESTLED BETWEEN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE CATALAN MOUNTAINS AND A MOTORWAY NORTH OF BARCELONA...BADIA DEL VALLES, A WORKING-CLASS CATALAN TOWN AND A STRONGHOLD FOR SPAIN. RESIDENTS HERE ARE ADAMANT THEY DON'T WANT INDEPENDENCE. AT A LOCAL CHURCH... PRAYERS THAT THINGS STAY THE WAY THEY ARE..AND CATALONIA REMAINS A PART OF SPAIN. SOME HERE SAY WITH THE SPANISH PRIME MINISTER'S NEW EMERGENCY MEASURES TO SACK THE CATALAN GOVERNMENT AND CALL ELECTIONS WITHIN SIX MONTHS...THEIR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
MOS- "They're not going to take our autonomy from us, they will just take those who are not capable away. And in six months they'll fix things. The sooner, the better."
Erin: FOR MANY HERE, ENEMY NUMBER ONE... CATALAN PRESIDENT CARLES PUIGDEMONT, CHIEF ARCHITECT OF THE PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE.
MOS- "I would ask him to think it through because we were fine."
Erin: BADIA DEL VALLES WAS FOUNDED IN 1975, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE FACIST DICTATOR GENERAL FRANCISCO FRANCO DIED. SPAIN DEVELOPED IT AS A SOCIAL PROJECT, MEANT TO BE HOME TO THE AREA'S MIGRANT WORKFORCE. PEOPLE MOVED HERE, HOPING FOR A BETTER LIFE. NOW, MANY FEAR IT COULD ALL FALL APART.
MOS"The most important thing for me is security, a good economy, to live like we did before. Now everything is falling apart."
Erin: BUT, NOT EVERYONE HERE FEELS THIS WAY.
Erin:"Even in the most pro-Spain town of Catalonia there are those who say Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has crossed a line."
Erin: MARCOS REAL OWNS A CAFE OFF THE MAIN SQUARE. HE'S OUTRAGED AT THE WAY RAJOY'S HANDLING THINGS. AFTER THE CRACKDOWN ON THE OCTOBER FIRST REFERENDUM, HE CLOSED HIS BUSINESS TO PROTEST THE VIOLENCE. HE TELLS ME CATALANS WERE HUMILIATED.
Erin: “How do you feel about Prime Minister Rajoy moving to take direct control of Catalonia?"
Marcos Real, Cafe Owner: "If I can, I will vote and if they don't allow me to vote... i will do it by
force as they did on October 1. This is a democratic system and what President Rajoy is doing is skipping the law. So this is a fascist state as it was 35 years ago."
Erin: SO MUCH EMOTION IN THIS TINY TOWN... RESIDENTS WORRY THEY HAVE A LOT TO LOSE.
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN, BADIA DEL VALLES.
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