MADRID—Nine Catalan separatists pardoned by the Spanish government walked out of prison on Wednesday to the cheers of supporters, leaving behind their lengthy terms for organizing a bid four years ago to make Catalonia an independent republic. Spain’s Cabinet pardoned them Tuesday in the hope of starting what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a much-needed reconciliation in the country’s restive northeastern region, although fervent local support for the pardoned separatists indicated the problem won’t go away anytime soon. Former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras, five fellow Cabinet members, the former regional parliament’s speaker, and two pro-independence activists walked free shortly after noon. They had spent between three-and-a-half and four years behind bars. Spain’s official gazette on Wednesday published the government decree pardoning them. The freed separatists were met by dozens of cheering, clapping supporters and relatives who had gathered in the rain. The men, released in a group, held up …