BARCELONA, Spain — Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Sunday visited Catalonia for the first time since Madrid imposed direct rule on the region, a day after hundreds of thousands of Catalans marched to demand the release of jailed regional officials.

His visit came two weeks after he dismissed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, his government and the parliament, suspended the region’s autonomy and called for new elections there on Dec. 21.

Addressing a campaign event, Rajoy said regional elections next month in Catalonia will help end “separatist havoc” in the northeastern region.

Defending his decision in Barcelona, he said he had “exhausted all roads” after the Catalan government’s unilateral declaration of independence last month.

He urged businesses not to abandon Catalonia after hundreds of firms moved their legal headquarters away as uncertainty over the region’s independence drive drags on. Rajoy asked “all businesses that work or have worked in Catalonia not to go”.

On Saturday hundreds of thousands of Catalans protested the jailing of regional officials for their push for independence from Spain, which has left the country mired in a political crisis.

The demonstrators gathered on an avenue next to the regional parliament building waving Catalan independence flags and chanting “Freedom!” while some held up banners announcing: “SOS Democracy”.

Rajoy, who attended a presentation by a party candidate at a station hotel, did not make a public appearance in the city.

The protest followed the release from jail of the region’s parliament speaker — one of dozens of lawmakers sacked by Madrid last month — after posting 150,000 euros ($175,000) bail.

Children in riding helmets climbed castells — the region’s traditional human towers — as others held placards bearing caricatures of some jailed lawmakers.

Barcelona municipal police put turnout for the march at some 750,000 people as crowds stretched for more than 15 blocks along the boulevard.

The Catalonia crisis has caused concern in the European Union as the bloc deals with Brexit and uncertainty over the fate of the region’s 7.5 million people. More than 2,400 businesses have moved their legal headquarters elsewhere.

On Wednesday a general strike called by a pro-independence union caused travel chaos, blocking 60 roads and train lines including Spain’s main highway link to France and the rest of Europe.

Since lawmakers in Catalonia — a wealthy region with its own language and distinct culture — declared independence on Oct.27 following a banned referendum, pro-separatist officials have come under huge pressure from Madrid.

Barcelona’s popular mayor earlier slammed the actions of Puigdemont’s government.

“They’ve provoked tensions and carried out a unilateral independence declaration which the majority do not want,” Ada Colau told a meeting of her party members.

“They’ve tricked the population for their own interests.”

Eight members of the axed Catalan cabinet are currently detained on charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds.

A further six fired officials including parliament speaker Carme Forcadell were granted bail this week on similar charges by Spain’s Supreme Court.

Puigdemont is in self-imposed exile in Belgium awaiting a hearing on possible extradition back to Spain after Madrid issued an EU-wide warrant.

“The situation is sad, the politicians haven’t done their jobs,” said Robert Muni, who was protesting with his children, although some protesters shouted their support for Puigdemont, “our president”. — Agencies