Catalonia's Fake News

On October 1 of this year, the Catalan regional government held a referendum on independence from Spain. The referendum was declared illegal by the Spanish superior courts earlier this year. That same day, the Spanish national police cracked down on voters, resulting in violent clashes in the streets of Barcelona.

On October 27, the Catalan regional government declared unilateral independence from Spain.

On October 30, the Spanish national government enacted Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, enforcing direct rule on Catalonia, dissolving the regional government, and placing the Spanish deputy prime minister in charge of the formerly autonomous region.

To be clear, I am not writing to express my support for or against Catalan independence, nor am I writing to criticize the actions of the Spanish government. I simply wish to illustrate why this distant political crisis is important to American citizens.

The issue with what is being called the Spanish Constitutional Crisis is not the actions of one side or another. Rather, it is the way the actions of Catalonia’s government and people are being portrayed in the global media. The Catalan fight for independence is not just another in a growing trend of European nationalist movements as the media would have us believe; there is no desire to create a Catalan ethnostate. Rather, it is a centuries-old battle based on economic grievances and a different cultural identity from the rest of Spain. Above all else, it is a political debate over the principle of self-determination: a people’s right to choose their own government.

Despite all this, the Catalan side of the story is not being told in coverage of the events. Subsequently, people don’t understand the true nature of the crisis. That is why this matters to American citizens. In a current culture where the term “fake news” is thrown about with reckless abandon, it is important to be reminded that fake news does really exist. Misinformation spreads like wildfire, and the Spanish Constitutional Crisis is a perfect example.

Today, Catalans vote for a new regional parliament in an election ordered by the Spanish Prime Minister. Today, Catalans decide whether they will continue their drive for independence. Today, Catalans have the chance to re-paint themselves in international media. Perhaps today sentiments will change.