Catalan rebels defiant as pro-unity supporters gather

Madrid

THE OUSTED Catalan government dismissed Madrid's direct administrative control of the region, defiantly reaffirming its proclamation of independence, even as thousands of pro-unity demonstrators gathered in Barcelona.

The Catalan Republic has been declared and Carles Puigdemont is still the president, ousted vice-president Oriol Junqueras said in an opinion piece published in newspaper El Punt Avui on Sunday. The rebel leaders will continue to work on their independence roadmap in the coming days, undeterred by "doubts" and "contradictions", Mr Junqueras wrote.