Catalonia’s Leader, Facing Deadline, Won’t Say if Region Declared Independence
MADRID — The Spanish government has given a new ultimatum to Catalonia’s separatist leader to clarify whether he was withdrawing his plan to declare independence from Spain, after a Monday morning deadline for the separatists to make their intentions clear came and went.
After a perplexing speech last Tuesday before Catalonia’s Parliament, Carles Puigdemont, the region’s leader, sent a letter to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asking to negotiate a solution but declining to clarify whether independence had been declared.
“Mr. Puigdemont has a serious problem, not only in terms of respecting legality but also respecting citizens who are asking for clarity,” Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the deputy prime minister of Spain, said at a news conference in Madrid shortly after receiving Mr. Puigdemont’s letter.
The Catalan leader “should respond yes or no” by Thursday, she said. “It’s in his hands to avoid that the next steps be taken,” she said, although she would not detail how Madrid might use the emergency measures at its disposal if Mr. Puigdemont refused.
Mr. Puigdemont’s strategy is unclear. He may be trying to drag his feet until the crisis in Catalonia provokes an international effort at mediation, as he has urged, however unlikely that may be.
He may also be trying to push Mr. Rajoy to fulfill his pledge to put an end to the secessionist challenge, which could in turn help galvanize Catalonia’s independence movement if Mr. Rajoy uses emergency measures to reduce the region’s level of autonomy.
Mr. Rajoy initiated a request last week for his government to invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution — a broad, forceful tool that has never been used — that would allow him to take control of the region.
Facing a 10 a.m. deadline on Monday, Mr. Puigdemont asked for a meeting with Mr. Rajoy, according to a copy of his letter, and suggested that the conflict could be resolved, with the help of international mediators, within two months.
He also called on Mr. Rajoy to end “the repression against the Catalan people and government,” referring to a court summons issued for the chief of the autonomous Catalan police force and the two leaders of the main pro-independence citizens’ movements. All could face sedition charges.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/world/europe/catalonia-spain-independence.html
The audience: The article is directed the citizens of Spain as well as the citizens from Catalonia since it is talking about a problem that involves both of their nations. The article can be directed also to anyone who is interested in this particular topic which is the independence of Catalonia.
The author’s point of view: In this article we can see a very impartial point of view, the author is just stating the facts, what each side has to say and it is his objective to inform us and the audience. He doesn’t share his opinion about the subject or tells just a part of the story, we can see both sides and compare them.
The publisher's point of view: The New York Times is a very serious news paper which its objective its to inform, due to this being an international news that involves mostly only Spain and Catalonia the NYTimes does not inclined to one side, it shows an impartial view only to inform the audience.
The article is directed or targeted to: This article is targeted to the people of Catalonia and it’s leader. Because it talks about an ultimatum directed to its leader and if he would withdraw the independence of Catalonia. So they need to be informed.
The objective: The purpose of this article is to inform the people that are concerned about this situation, to let them know if it is progressing or getting worse. Since all of Catalonia´s citizens want independence they are eager to know what the leader decides and would do anything to get it.
opinion: In our opinion the Spanish Government should stop his intentions to recolet Catalonia, because he will only create conflict and disagreement. We understand that Catalonia being independent will be hard for Spain because of their recourses but they want to and will do everything in their power to become independant, forcing them not to will only create more conflict and disagreement that could be avoided.
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