Madrid 18 Oct (ANA) - Spain will move to suspend Catalonia's autonomy unless the region's leader drops his push for independence, the deputy prime minister says. Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría gave the warning a day before a Spanish deadline to Carles Puigdemont was due to expire. Catalonia's government has insisted it will not meet Madrid's demands in the wake of a disputed vote on secession. There have been protests over the detention of two leaders of the separatist movement. Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Cuixart are being held while they are investigated for sedition - a move which many on the pro-independence side see as politically motivated. The men were leading figures in the disputed 1 October independence vote, which Madrid branded illegal. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is cautious by nature but the fact he and his government are now openly discussing the use of Article 155 of the constitution reflects how much relations between Madrid and Catalonia have deteriorated. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría's insistence that the Catalan government "return to legality" by Thursday morning's deadline appears to be firm but Carles Puigdemont is not expected to heed that appeal. He is under pressure from influential factions within the secessionist movement to push ahead with his independence "roadmap". Monday's arrest and jailing of two civic independence leaders, Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Cuixart, has only inflamed tensions and is likely to stiffen Mr Puigdemont's resolve. There is also a feeling among many of Mr Rajoy's supporters and allies that he should act swiftly and his government is likely to confirm its implementation of Article 155 soon after Thursday's deadline.(ANA)

FA/ANA/18 October 2017---------