Catalonia must back down from its plan to declare independence from Spain on Monday, Mariano Rajoy said.
The Spanish leader has issued a direct threat to Catalonia, where more than two million people braved police brutality to vote for independence on Sunday.
In the wake of the vote, which was not approved by Spain’s Madrid government or leaders in Brussels, the region said it had achieved victory.
But now Mr Rajoy has warned them against independence with an ominous threat.
He called on Catalonia’s leader Carles Puigdemont to abandon plans to unilaterally declare the region’s independence from Spain “to avoid greater evils”.
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Mr Rajoy said the solution to the Catalan crisis was a prompt return to legality.
He said Catalonia must issue “a statement as soon as possible that there will not be a unilateral declaration of independence, because that will also avoid greater evils”.
The threat has taken on sinister overtones after more than 800 voters were injured by heavily armed Spanish police as they attempted to reach polling stations.
In some cases local firefighters were forced to step in and create a human barrier between the brutal officers and helpless voters.
It follows similar warnings from the Spanish king, who has also refused to accept the legality and result of the referendum.
He accused voters of showing disloyalty to the state – and the royal family.
The king made a rare public address on Tuesday in which he appealed for calm and for Catalonia to accept the illegality of the result.
He said: “For a long time some entities in Catalonia have not followed the constituion or the law of this country which sets out the way this country is governed.
“This has shown a lack of loyalty to the Government of this country.
“They have broken with the principles of democracy that every nation state of law adheres to.
“Unfortunately we have arrived at a stage where the situation in Catalonia is fractured, where the authorities have shown disprespect to all Spanish people.”
This is a developing story, more to follow…