One of the conclusions of these months of tedious legal debate, in Spain's Supreme Court and in Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland in their respective courts, is that the case of the Catalan political prisoners and exiles has been very well defended. A very competent group of lawyers, with individual strategies for each client but undeniable coordination, has put the Spanish legal system in check and internationally exposed the trial to come. The withdrawal of the extradition warrants after the resounding German verdict in favour of Puigdemont and the domino effect on the ministers spread around Europe and also on the secretary general of ERC, Marta Rovira, have sparked anger in Madrid. This has been joined by the summons of Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena to a Belgian court this Tuesday, a situation which the Spanish state has ended up taking as an affront from Brussels when it's just a question of a civil lawsuit following imprudent statements by the judge.
OK, when we thought we'd seen it all, there were still chapters left to write. The new objective is to look to discredit the lawyers of the prisoners and exiles through the media or even through professional colleges. Only in that way can we understand the frenzied race to attack the prestige of the lawyers which is coordinatedly being carried out with even the participation of one political party, always present in these battles and with an exaggerated media presence in comparison with its actual representation.
Just like judge Llarena turned to the General Council of the Judiciary for protection over his comments, with much greater reason criminal attorney Gonzalo Boye has asked the Madrid College of Lawyers for the same given the threats, insults and slander he's suffering in the exercise of the right to defence. The College has taken little time to give its verdict and, if someone thought it would align itself with one of its members, they were very wrong. The result has been a clear statement of support for the judge in which it's hard to tell if the college is acting as a representative of lawyers or judges. Not only that, but it's an act of support for the government, defending the immunity of the Spanish justice system and unequivocal protection for Llarena over the attacks he's suffered for his defence of the Spanish Constitution as an "immovable, responsible and independent" magistrate.
We'll see more things in this conflict with many low blows and dirty fighting, as is already happening. It wasn't enough to invent a legal narrative which has little to do with what's happened in Catalonia, now another step is taken: lambast the defence counsel for a job well done which has put too many things out in the open from a Spain which is having ever more difficulties covering over its own embarrassments.