'La 2 Catalunya' or how the pro-separatism elite have managed to survive after the Procés

The Procés, sold to the masses as a heroic act, was always just a strategy for the nationalist elite to hold power. A wide range of politicians, businesspeople, and media figures became wealthy during the peak years of the Procés. Its derailment unleashed a fierce struggle for survival, where ERC and Junts's chameleonic strategy has played an essential role.

Oriol Junqueras was the first to understand, as early as 2019, that the game was over and it was necessary to adapt to the new circumstances. Carles Puigdemont played the confrontation game a bit longer. Until President Pedro Sánchez opened the doors of the State wide for him.

This week we learned about the hiring of Jordi Basté, Vicent Sanchis, and Toni Soler for the new TVE channel in Catalonia. The channel, which will begin broadcasting on Diada (September 11), is part of President Pedro Sánchez's commitments with Junts. It will be a regional split that will offer programming entirely in Catalan, and judging by the hires, with a clear ideological bias.

"La 2 Catalunya" is a symptom of how the pro-Procés political and media elite have managed to survive after the failure of the Procés. Since this elite was never guided by principles but by a thirst for power, their adaptation to the new reality has been a natural process. If before they used power by appealing to the breakup of the State, now they cling to it by accommodating themselves within that same State.

Survivors of the Procés

Vicent Sanchis is a paradigmatic case of this: from being a leader of pro-Procés media as director of TV3 during the tough years of the Procés, to being a panelist on public and subsidized media. Now he will present a documentary about Francoism on the new "La 2 Catalunya" channel, courtesy of the agreements between Junts and PSOE.

Jordi Basté has been another media figure who most fervently defended the Procés in its most woke dimension. Today he continues to do so on the airwaves of Rac1. He has also secured a spot in the new channel's programming, where he will host a prime time interview show.

Toni Soler deserves special mention, as the Procés and post-Procés have showered him with gold. His closeness to ERC allowed his production company to be the most contracted for years, with an average turnover of 6.6 million USD (6 million euros) per year. To the millions invoiced during the years of the Procés, another juicy sum of 550,000 USD (500,000 euros) is now added for a slot on the new TVE channel in Catalonia.

In addition to this new channel with a clear pro-separatism stamp, Junts and ERC managed to place Miquel Calçada and Sergi Sol on RTVE's board of directors. Calçada and Sol are part of this pro-Procés elite who went from defending the Catalan Republic to colonizing the levers of power of the oppressive State.

From fighting the state to living off it

Not only in the media sphere. The submission of Junts and ERC to PSOE, with amnesty and the self-determination referendum as a pretext, has allowed them to access juicy positions on the boards of directors of Spanish public companies. This is one of the reasons why pro-Procés forces continue to keep President Pedro Sánchez in power.

Although the infiltration of pro-Procés forces into the Spanish State goes beyond the media sphere, this is the most flagrant. Because the media gurus of the Procés not only continue to survive in post-Procés Catalonia. They also continue to expand their power, and use their platforms to spread their ideology as if it were still 2017.

This elite couldn't survive without the contribution of the parties. PSOE and PSC use the pro-separatism parties to keep power. The pro-Procés forces use the socialists to keep power despite having lost it.