Lluís Puig returns to Terrassa after exile and in tears: "We want the freedom of the Catalan people"

TerrassaIt had been 3,272 days since the singers of Terrassa projected their voices for the freedom of political prisoners and exiles in front of the City Hall. Specifically, since November 14, 2017, when they began, and nine years of painful exile have already passed. "Rain, snow, or heat": the daily meeting was unavoidable among the singers who attended with varying regularity. Some, with songbooks to fund anti-repressive solidarity. This Wednesday, however, and despite singing the same songs as always – such as I want to be free, in addition to the national anthem–, the hundreds gathered who filled the square felt an incomparable emotion: it was the day of Lluís Puig's return. The former Minister of Culture chose this evening event of the pro-independence collective to put an end to his exile, once the arrest warrants by the Supreme Court were lifted –the archiving of the case still remains, which should happen soon.

Puig has returned to his native Terrassa with his convictions intact and with tears of emotion: "We remain firm and wanting the freedom of the Catalan people, who will achieve it," he proclaimed, remembering the 1-O, in front of the entire leadership of Junts, except for the exiled Carles Puigdemont, and also in front of the city's mayor, Jordi Ballart (Tot per Terrassa), visibly moved. All in all, one day before he is received with all honors at the Parliament of Catalonia by the board led by President Josep Rull, also present this Wednesday, and the vast majority of the chamber.

The 2017 referendum has been the engine for the Spanish justice system to persecute the independence movement over these last nine years and the root of a forced exile that those attending the event were very aware of; what was heard most in the hugs were the "nine years" of exile. Yes, "nine years." "The repression of this cursed Spanish state," which has dismantled governments like the one from nine years ago and the families of the independentists who were persecuted, just as the announcer said. However, before Puig took the floor, there was also room for reproach, when the same event coordinator criticized the "people who now from the sofa call them 'traitors,' and who would not have done" what the 1-O government did despite the threat of prison. An allusion to Aliança Catalana, which, in fact, has never reached out to Puig to show solidarity or interest in him.

The first thing the former minister did was to thank "the daily welcome" in Northern Catalonia for the last five years of exile he spent in the Roussillon region and to remember the singers from Terrassa. In fact, reaching the square was an arduous task, due to the emotion accumulated among the attendees, among whom were Junts leaders such as Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, and Quim Forn, who shared memories of prison and exile.

"We love you," the people told him, amidst shouts of "conseller." Even a very elderly woman gave him some photographs of Puig's mother, of whom she was a very close friend, amidst the tears and emotion that surrounded him. Tossed in the air, surrounded by dances, and with a "capgròs" (big-headed figure) made during his exile to represent him, he raised his voice to say that "today the Spanish judiciary, which wants to do politics without standing for election, has lost." "Catalonia 2, Spanish state 0," he quipped in a sign of victory.

Mayor Ballart offered him to go up to the balcony, but Puig opted for the simplicity of the square. In fact, the square chose to gift him the Estapera dance, typical of the city. It was precisely Puig who choreographed it based on a 19th-century melody.

He will not leave politics

Puig is not leaving politics, on the contrary: he wants to dedicate himself to it as an active deputy so that his voice may be heard, including in the Catalan chamber, which he has not set foot in despite exercising his role as a representative from a distance. In fact, he has assured that he remains "firm" in achieving independence.

Despite not being in Catalonia, the culture sector has not forgotten his voice. At the Fira Mediterrània in Manresa, which Puig had directed, the voice on the public address system is his. This year, however, the director, Jordi Fosas, said that he hoped that in this edition his voice could be heard in situ and that he could return to enjoy the event. The same applies to the Mercat de Música Viva in Vic, where his memory has also remained intact.

Reception of Junqueras in Sant Vicenç dels Horts

In parallel, Sant Vicenç dels Horts also received Oriol Junqueras and Raül Romeva this evening after the Supreme Court fully applied the amnesty to them. In front of those gathered in his hometown –where part of the ERC leadership was present, among others–, Junqueras branded the 1-O judges as "psychopaths". "They wanted to break our souls, but it is made of iron," he stated in remarks reported by the Efe agency.

"The first day they locked me up was my son's birthday. Later they took me to testify at the Supreme Court on the eve of Three Kings' Day and they took me back to the Supreme Court on my daughter's birthday because they are psychopaths," he stated. Junqueras has asked the independence movement to move forward and build "very broad majorities": "Our victory demands more democracy than ever, an overflowing democracy".

Romeva, for his part, argued that the amnesty has brought them back to the starting point of 2015 and advocated for continuing to fight for independence: "We must continue. We are closer than ever to achieving it".