Jordi Cuixart
Jordi Cuixart – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes
Discover the story of Jordi Cuixart (born 22 April 1975), a Spanish Catalan businessman, cultural activist, and former president of Òmnium Cultural. Learn about his business work, activism, imprisonment, legacy, and notable sayings.
Introduction
Jordi Cuixart i Navarro is a Catalan entrepreneur, cultural advocate, and political figure, best known for leading Òmnium Cultural and playing a prominent role in Catalonia’s pro-independence movement. Born on 22 April 1975 in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Spain, he has walked a path that blends business, activism, and sacrifice. His story is one of conviction, controversy, resistance, and hope—resonating far beyond Catalonia’s borders.
In this article, you’ll gain insight into his early life, business ventures, political activism (including incarceration), his influence today, and memorable statements that reflect his worldview.
Early Life and Family
Jordi Cuixart was born on 22 April 1975 in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
His mother came from Murcia, and his father was from Badalona. He spent the first 30 years of his life in his birthplace before relocating to Sabadell.
From an early age, Cuixart was exposed to civic and cultural influences. His uncle operated a bookstore and hosted gatherings that touched on Catalan identity and social issues.
He has a family: he is married to Txell Bonet, and they are parents to both biological and adopted children.
Youth and Education
As a youth, Jordi Cuixart studied mechanics in a vocational setting at the Institut Escola Industrial i d’Arts i Oficis in Sabadell.
He also became active in social and cultural organizations early on. In 1996, he joined Òmnium Cultural, the Catalan non-profit organization devoted to promoting Catalan language and culture.
Cuixart was a conscientious objector to compulsory Spanish military service.
Throughout his early adulthood, he balanced technical work, civic involvement, and business ambition.
Career and Achievements
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Cuixart is the founder and president of Aranow, a company specializing in the export of packaging machinery.
He also co-founded FemCAT (“Fundació d’Empresaris de Catalunya”), a foundation of Catalan businesspeople.
His business activities connected him with the industrial and metallurgical sectors in Catalonia, enhancing his networks and influence in the business community.
Leadership at Òmnium Cultural
Before becoming president, Cuixart served as treasurer and later vice-president under Muriel Casals.
On 19 December 2015, Cuixart was elected president of Òmnium Cultural, replacing interim leadership and succeeding Casals.
As president, he broadened Òmnium’s remit beyond cultural promotion, advocating for Catalan self-determination and social cohesion. His signature initiative was the “Lluites compartides” (“Shared struggles”) campaign, which aimed to bridge historical social movements with Catalonia’s contemporary citizen mobilizations.
Under his leadership, Òmnium distanced itself from dependence on public subsidies and emphasized civic activism as part of cultural and political expression.
Cuixart remained president until February 2022, when he stepped down and was replaced by Xavier Antich.
Political Activism and Imprisonment
Cuixart’s activism came into sharper conflict with the Spanish state during the period leading to the Catalan independence referendum of 1 October 2017.
On 16 October 2017, he was arrested (alongside Jordi Sànchez) under charges of sedition for his role in organizing mass protests, particularly the demonstration on 20 September 2017 in front of the Catalan Department of Economy. The Spanish authorities alleged that hundreds of people blocked police operations, disrupting law enforcement actions.
His arrest was in preventive detention without bail; critics argued the move was a suppression of free assembly.
In October 2019, after years of trial and pretrial detention, Cuixart was sentenced to nine years in prison for sedition and a ban from public office.
International organizations, including Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, and the Council of Europe, criticized his sentence and argued it amounted to disproportionate limits on freedom of expression and assembly.
While incarcerated, Cuixart authored several books—including Tres dies a la presó: un diàleg sense murs (Three days in jail: a dialogue without walls), Ho tornarem a fer (We will do it again), and Aprenentatges i una proposta (Lessons and a proposal). He also wrote children’s books like Un bosc ple d’amor and El polsim màgic.
On 22 June 2021, after spending 3 years and 8 months in detention, the Spanish government granted him a pardon and he was released.
Despite the pardon, Cuixart has affirmed he did not request clemency, stating his priority was resolving the political conflict in Catalonia—not his personal freedom.
In 2021, Cuixart brought an appeal before the European Court of Human Rights challenging his sentence.
Historical Milestones & Context
Cuixart’s life and actions must be understood in the broader backdrop of Catalonia’s struggle for autonomy and independence, as well as the Spanish state’s constitutional response.
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The 2010s in Catalonia saw increasing calls for a legally sanctioned referendum on independence.
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In 2017, the Catalan government proceeded with a referendum despite Spanish constitutional objections; the Spanish state responded with police operations (e.g., Operation Anubis) to prevent and dissolve referendum infrastructure.
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The September 2017 protests, in which Cuixart is implicated, were part of a broader reaction to police raids.
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The subsequent trial and sentencing of Catalan leaders (the “procés” trial) became a flashpoint in debates over political rights, the limits of protest, and the role of the judiciary in political disputes.
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Cuixart’s case is often cited in international human rights debates as an example of whether sedition laws were used to criminalize political dissent.
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His pardon aligned with political shifts in Madrid and ongoing pressures for reconciliation and reform.
Cuixart’s narrative thus both embodies the tension between center and periphery in modern Spain and serves as a case study in how civic activism and state power clash in contested national frameworks.
Legacy and Influence
Jordi Cuixart’s legacy is complex, contested, and evolving.
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Catalan cultural voice: As president of Òmnium Cultural, he symbolized the intertwining of cultural identity and political aspiration, pushing Catalan civic institutions into the political arena.
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Human rights figure: International condemnation of his sentence positioned him as a human rights defender in debates about freedom of assembly, expression, and procedural justice.
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Symbol of resistance: For many Catalans, his imprisonment and refusal to back down made him a martyr-figure, someone who took responsibility for mass mobilization.
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Literary and intellectual contributions: His writings from prison and civic commentary continue to feed debates about democracy, reconciliation, and grassroots mobilization.
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Inspiration for activists: His path demonstrates how business leaders and civil society actors can become political actors, sometimes at great personal cost.
Though some view him as polarizing, his life underscores the tension between activism and state authority, a tension increasingly relevant in many parts of the world.
Personality and Talents
Cuixart is known for his calm conviction, measured rhetoric, and strategic patience. In interviews, he emphasizes dialogue, nonviolence, and civic responsibility.
He also brings to politics a businesslike discipline and network-building capacity—skills honed in his entrepreneurial work. His ability to bridge sectors (culture, business, activism) sets him apart from many purely political actors.
In prison, Cuixart reportedly practiced yoga and meditation, which he used to maintain mental resilience and clarity during confinement.
He has repeatedly insisted on the principle that his struggle is not personal: his fight is institutional and systemic, focused on democracy, rights, and the Catalan people.
Famous Quotes of Jordi Cuixart
Here are some memorable and meaningful statements attributed to Jordi Cuixart:
“Tot el que he fet, ho tornaria a fer.”
(“Everything I’ve done, I would do again.”)
“Com a pres polític la meva prioritat no és sortir de la presó, sinó la solució del conflicte polític.”
(“As a political prisoner, my priority is not leaving prison, but the solution to the political conflict.”)
“No he demanat cap mesura de gràcia perquè el que he fet ho tornaria a fer.”
(“I have not requested any act of clemency because what I have done I would do again.”)
(On activism and rights) Cuixart has spoken about “exercising fundamental rights of expression and assembly” and criticized the use of the penal system to silence political voices.
These quotes reflect his steadfastness, framing his actions not as personal gain but as part of a broader civic mission.
Lessons from Jordi Cuixart
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Civic engagement can challenge entrenched state power
Cuixart’s journey shows how cultural and civil society institutions can become sites of political contestation. -
Conviction sometimes demands sacrifice
His imprisonment demonstrates the real cost of carrying forward controversial or oppositional stances in polarized systems. -
Intersection of business and activism
He illustrates that entrepreneurial leadership and political activism need not be mutually exclusive. -
Resilience in adversity
Through writing, reflection, and public voice—even from prison—Cuixart continued to influence discourse. -
The power of narrative
His refusal to ask for clemency, and his framing of his detention as tied to political conflict, shaped how many interpreted his case beyond legal judgments.
Conclusion
Jordi Cuixart’s life story is more than a biography of a businessman turned activist. It’s a study in how identity, culture, politics, and economic agency interweave. From the industrial sectors of Catalonia to the halls of civil society, from civic campaigns to prison walls, his path charts the fault lines of modern statehood and democratic dissent.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with his politics, Cuixart’s example challenges us to consider what rights are worth defending, what limits a state should observe in policing dissent, and how individuals may navigate the tensions between institutional roles and moral conviction.
If you’d like, I can also compile a full list of his speeches, writings, and more quotes, or compare his case with other activists globally. Would you like me to do that?