In fact, the bet has been long coming and the criminal charges are just the final step: painting themselves into a corner, keeping to a very narrow path, rejecting any chance of a pact. Whenever you make that kind of choice, you either win by a landslide or you get hammered. You reject the possibility of a tie, as well as any chance of a victory --even if it means making some concessions-- or perhaps the chance of some small victories, even if you lose in the end.
Catalan nationalism has often been criticised for thoughtlessly adopting an all-or-nothing stance. In the current process, it's Spain who has made that sort of choice. To a greater or lesser extent, those who believe in dialogue and negotiation (in essence, democracy is a way to arbitrate, a space for compromise) tend to expect room for manoeuvre. All-or-nothing does not belong in a culture of negotiation and rationality, but in the mindset of those who believe that they are absolutely right and they have the force to impose their views.
Spain has gone as far as to ignore its own popular wisdom. Take bullfighting, for instance. Matadors know that you must never corner a bull. Rather, you should always leave him a way out. Otherwise, he'll charge at you. The criminal charges filed against president Mas is the wild rush forward of someone who has denied himself a way out and, in a manner that's as arrogant as it is suicidal, decides to go all-in.
