The Spanish government said Thursday it would press ahead with steps to suspend the autonomy of Catalonia, minutes after the region's separatist leader threatened to unilaterally declare independence from Spain if Madrid continued its "repression."

"The Spanish government will continue with the procedures outlined in article 155 of the Constitution to restore legality in Catalonia's self-government," it said in a statement, referring to an article that allows for Madrid to take direct control over a region in exceptional circumstances