US Woman Leads Fight For Catalonia's Independence From Spain

American writer and translator Liz Castro who has received the most of votes in the elections to the board of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) is considered the most likely candidate to assume the presidential post in the organization.

The American, who first began learning the Catalan language 28 years ago, has outstripped her competitors Alentorn Rosa, former director of the History Museum of Catalonia Agusti Alcoberro, former leader of Appeal and current Deputy Ombudsman Jordi Sánchez and Gemma Cots and is likely to replace the current president of the ANC, Carme Forcadell.

The new national secretariat will consist of 75 people including the 25 most voted "national representation" candidates and 50 candidates of "territorial representation." The new board will choose a new president on Saturday.

"I think I've been clear in my intentions: Catalonia has the right to become its own, independent state with the power to decide its own future," Castro said in interview to Vilaweb media source, adding that she had received much attention in Catalonia due to the fact that she was American.

The California born candidate, Castro, has been learning about Catalonia and promoting the idea of its right for independence for almost 28 years.

"I think that for many years, Catalans have had their identity purposefully hidden by a Spanish state that considers them Spaniards and presents them to the rest of the world as Spaniards," she emphasized, pledging her commitment for the future of the Catalan nation.

 

Some experts, however, have expressed their doubts that the new secretariat will appoint Castro to such a high position. Reportedly, she has already been offered the position of ANC official responsible for international relations. The final decision of the new board is still shrouded in secrecy.