The general secretary of the CUP, Non Casadevall, has stated that immigration constitutes a natural right of all people and has denounced the "total and absolute dehumanization of people who are terribly in need" that, in his opinion, is occurring in Ceuta.
In an appearance before the media this Monday at the party's headquarters, he explained that the CUP avoids focusing the debate on who can or cannot emigrate and prefers to emphasize the current economic model. He warned that discussing "who has or does not have the right to immigrate" means, according to him, "it is a mistake and buying into the frames of the far right."
He insisted that "we have a problem with people who have to flee their country due to material or humanitarian issues, focusing on who has the right or does not have the right is not a debate we want to enter as CUP," emphasizing that the priority must be the attention to these people.
In the same vein, he added: "We are horrified to see how many Spanish media have treated these people and how the far right is making a banner of it and has used it to spread more hate and more division."
Criticism of police action and the Government
On another note, Casadevall referred to the police intervention prior to the match between Elche and FC Barcelona, during which a Barcelona supporter carrying a estelada was arrested. Regarding this episode, he stated: "Even with the most progressive government in history that some say, the beatings and violence continue exactly the same way."
He denounced that "it is exactly the same, always against the Catalans. The State is going for everything and we want to respond firmly to this State. And we say it clearly, neither the Spanish State government nor the Generalitat government are up to the task," charging against both the central Executive and the Govern.
Casadevall also stated that "the impunity of catalanophobia is directly proportional to the timidity" of the Govern of Salvador Illa when it comes to defending the rights of the Catalan citizens.
For this reason, he called on Illa "to create measures to combat catalanophobia, especially by the State's police forces and urgent action to ensure that an attack against Catalans does not happen again."
Finally, it has concluded that "we want the National Police and all the police forces of the State to immediately and forever abandon the 'Catalan countries'. We have more reasons than ever to urgently reclaim our path towards independence."