EXPLAINER: Why has Spain pardoned 9 Catalan separatists?

Spain’s government has granted pardons to nine instigators of an illegal 2017 secession bid for Catalonia

BARCELONA, Spain -- Spain’s government granted pardons on Tuesday to the nine imprisoned instigators of an illegal 2017 secession bid for Catalonia in a bold move to defuse the festering political crisis in the nation's affluent northeastern corner. The decision by the left-wing government, however, has angered many in Spain, even some of Catalonia’s most fervent separatists who say the pardons don't go far enough. WHY WERE THEY IMPRISONED? Separatist sentiment skyrocketed in Catalonia over the past two decades, fueled by the global recession and an increasingly polarized political climate. Many Catalans, despite being comparatively wealthy and enjoying a large degree of self-rule, felt they paid too much in taxes and were ignored by central authorities.