Answer
The Proclamation, led by Lluís Companys, declared the short-lived Catalan State within the Spanish Republic in April 1931. While initially met with resistance from the Spanish government, negotiations resulted in the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, granting Catalonia significant self-governance within Spain. This period of autonomy and self-government marked a crucial step in the recognition of Catalonia's distinct cultural and political identity.