Catalonia declares independence from Spain

Catalonia President Carles Puigdemont (at center on balcony) celebrates with the region’s mayors in Barcelona after the vote by the Catalan parliament in favor of independence from Spain.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy grimaces during a session of the Spanish parliament in Madrid as it weighs imposing central government authority over Catalonia.

Maria Salut, 50, center, reacts to the Catalonia regional parliament’s vote to declare independence from Spain in Barcelona.

Catalans celebrate the regional parliament’s vote to declare independence from Spain in Barcelona.

A Catalan independence supporter sheds tears of joy in Barcelona after the regional parliament voted to declare independence from Spain.

Catalan independence supporters celebrate the vote by the region’s parliament to declare independence from Spain outside the parliament building in Barcelona.

Catalans celebrate the vote to declare independence from Spain in Barcelona.

Carme Forcadell, left, president of the Catalan parliament, casts her ballot in the vote on declaring independence from Spain in Barcelona.

The streets are packed outside the Catalan regional parliament in Barcelona, where delegates voted Friday to declare independence from Spain.