Puigdemont: EU became a 'caricature' of its founding values

Sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has lashed out against the European Union (EU) over its response to the Catalan crisis, in which Brussels sided with Madrid in suppressing the independence drive of the region.

Puigdemont criticized the EU as a "caricature of what Europe is and of what we want Europe to be," claiming, there is "no will to help solve the politics of the conflict."

Catalonia staged a regional independence referendum on October 1, amid a massive crackdown by police on voters in which nearly 900 people were injured. Following the 'yes' vote, Barcelona attempted to initiate dialogue with the central government, hoping the EU would step in and act as mediator to help defuse tensions.

Leaders of European nations, as well as the EU's main institutions, sided with the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy instead, and refused to...