Spanish government delegate in Catalonia resigns

The Spanish government delegate in Catalonia, Teresa Cunillera, has resigned from her post. She will be replaced by Maria Eugènia Gay, the until-now dean of the Barcelona Bar Association.

In a letter sent to the executive on Friday, the Socialist said she believes the political situation in Catalonia has "considerably improved" since she started in the role in 2018. 

"I have tried to fulfill the order I received, so it's time to leave my job," Cunillera said in an official government statement.

The Socialist says that over the years she has tried to “live up to the task, with all my effort and dedication."

"It has been a source of pride that no one can take away from me for having shared so many important moments for our Socialist project and for having been the delegate in Catalonia," the letter addressed to Spanish president Pedro Sánchez concludes.

When she took office in June 2018, Catalan pro-independence leaders were still awaiting trial. In an interview in September 2018, she said that she believed these leaders should be pardoned.

Hours later, however, Cunillera released a statement saying her words had been taken out of context and underscored the independence of the judiciary, stressing that it was too early to discuss what could happen after the trial.