Puigdemont Endorses a Jihadist Terrorist's Speech and Faces a Backlash

During the "procés" (the independentist process) a concept became famous: "Shared Struggles" ("luchas compartidas"). This concept was used to define the union of parties and movements with ideological differences to fight for a common goal. The embrace between Artur Mas (CiU) and David Fernández (CUP) after the 2014 consultations was a clear example of these "shared struggles." Another example would be when Rufián and other sectors of ERC advocated joining forces with Podemos and company during the peak years of the "procés," thus prioritizing the right-left axis over the national axis.

This Thursday, we had an updated version of these "shared struggles": Junts per Catalunya and jihadist terrorism. Carles Puigdemont did not hesitate to endorse the controversial statements of Mohamed Houli Chemlal in the investigation commission on the August 17, 2017 attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

Yesterday's session of this investigation commission already started with controversy. This was normal, considering the image provoked by Houli's presence in the Congress of Deputies. A jihadist terrorist, sentenced to 43 years in prison for his participation in the 17A attacks, passed through the seat of national sovereignty as if he were not responsible for a terrorist attack that resulted in 16 people dead and 152 injured.

Puigdemont Buys a Terrorist's Narrative

The fact is that Mohamed Houli appeared before the commission and delighted Junts per Catalunya. "The CNI was aware of the intentions the imam had and allowed him to come and brainwash us," stated the terrorist. Of course, both Puigdemont, the rest of his party, and their main media outlets (for example, El Nacional or Vilaweb) indulged in their conspiracy theory, now fueled by a jihadist terrorist to whom they gave full credibility.

"He couldn't have said it more clearly, and probably few people like him can be in a position to make this accusation," declared Carles Puigdemont. In other words, the former president of the Generalitat validated the unproven claims of a jihadist responsible for the indiscriminate murder of 16 people. The criticism, especially from within the independence movement, was not long in coming.

Most of the critical replies, however, also accepted Houli's statements. What they reproached Puigdemont for was his support for Pedro Sánchez. "[It was]even more incomprehensible that you preferred to support the president of Government," said one. "What has to happen for a Catalan politician to withdraw support from Spanish politicians?" said another. "Any proposal that isn't crying?" "Supporting their governments makes you complicit," or "all you do is complain, you do nothing because you're cowards," were some of the replies Carles Puigdemont received on his X account.

Sílvia Orriols Distances Herself from Puigdemont; Alejandro Fernández Criticizes PSOE and Junts

Sílvia Orriols, who like Puigdemont believes in the conspiracy theory regarding the 17A attacks, was another who commented on Houli's statements. However, she did so by distancing herself from the Junts leader and being much more cautious. "That the CNI, by action or omission, is liable for the attacks is evident, but the word of a terrorist trying to divert attention to Spain and free his religious community from questions and scrutiny—I don't know what value that has," said the leader of Aliança Catalana.

Another Catalan political leader who spoke about what happened in the investigation commission was Alejandro Fernández. "By inviting a jihadist terrorist to Congress, PSOE and Junts place themselves in the same moral space as Bildu: terror as an ally and political instrument. And there's no turning back. You can't deny the obvious," he wrote on his X account.