Catalan leader urges democratic opposition to Madrid's direct rule

Catalonia's separatist leader, who was deposed by Madrid, on Saturday called for "democratic opposition" to direct rule imposed by the central government on the semi-autonomous region after its parliament declared unilateral independence.

Puigdemont said the activation of article 155 of the Spanish Constitution was illegitimate and called on Catalans to show "patience, perseverance" and faith in the future.
"The best way to defend what we have achieved to date is democratic opposition to the application of article 155," Carles Puigdemont said in a televised statement, referring to the constitutional article that gives Madrid the takeover powers, adding he and his team would keep working "to build a free country."