A New Chapter in the Fight for Independence
On June 23, 2016, Catalonia was at a critical juncture. With Carles Puigdemont at the helm, the Generalitat was preparing to advance its self-determination project, while the Spanish government, led by Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz, was intensifying its efforts to undermine the rise of the independence movement.
The Police and Power Games
Tensions within the police hierarchy increased, with the rivalry between Commissioners Marcelino Martín-Blas and José Manuel Villarejo. Villarejo, with the support of the Minister and Commissioner José Luis Olivera, consolidated his position of power, a fact that, curiously, would mark his fate a year and a half later with his arrest for money laundering.
A Strategy of Discrediting
The Interior Ministry operatives celebrated their successes, such as Jordi Pujol’s confession about his hidden assets. However, the failure of Operation Catalonia to dismantle the Banca Privada d’Andorra and Banco Madrid highlighted the limitations of police strategies to obtain compromising information about key figures in separatism.
The Role of Commissioner Martín-Blas
Martín-Blas, in a gesture of revenge, revealed secret documents during the parliamentary investigation of Operation Catalonia, providing new clues about the Pujols’ fortune that were not in the financial institutions that had been investigated.
Revelations and Conspiracies
Villarejo’s notes from June 23 provided surprising information about the involvement of Andorran authorities in Operation Catalonia. His diary contained references to possible connections with investment managers and financial scandals that transcend Andorra’s borders.
The Threats of the United States
The warnings from the US about the Andorran financial system, with the possible application of severe sanctions, revealed the international pressure that weighed on the small Pyrenean nation, with the aim of controlling its finances and preventing money laundering.
An Uncertain Future
With Villarejo once again being summoned before the commission of inquiry, his notes could provide further details about one of the most controversial chapters in the recent history of Spain and Catalonia. Tensions between Catalan nationalism and the Spanish authorities continue, while the repercussions of these revelations could alter the course of Catalan politics.