Carles Puigdemont returns to Spain, sparking Police hunt and political turmoil
Police in Barcelona are currently searching for Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan leader who made a dramatic return to Spain after a seven-year self-imposed exile.
Despite facing an outstanding arrest warrant, Puigdemont reappeared in Barcelona, where he briefly addressed supporters before disappearing once again.
Puigdemont, who had lived in Brussels since fleeing Spain following a failed independence bid in 2017, spoke to a crowd of supporters near the Catalan parliament ahead of the anticipated investiture of a new Catalan government leader.
He used the opportunity to reaffirm his stance on Catalan independence, declaring, “Holding a referendum is not and will never be a crime.”
His reentry into Spain comes at a particularly tense moment, as Socialist Salvador Illa is set to be inaugurated as the new Catalan president.
If confirmed, Illa will be the region’s first non-nationalist leader since 2010, which Puigdemont views as a significant political setback for the pro-independence movement.
Following Puigdemont’s public appearance, he vanished, leading to a major police operation led by the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police force.
Spanish media, citing police sources, reported that exits from Barcelona have been closed off and roadblocks have been set up across the city to capture the former leader.
Puigdemont’s return appears motivated by multiple strategic goals. He aims to pressure authorities into applying a new amnesty law to his case, after being excluded from its scope by the Spanish Supreme Court on technical grounds.
Additionally, Puigdemont seeks to disrupt Illa’s investiture and challenge the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), a rival pro-independence party that has agreed to support Illa’s candidacy.
This move is also an effort to solidify his Junts per Catalunya (JxCat) party’s position as the leading force in the independence movement.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that until a new local government is in place, the ERC remains responsible for the Catalan police force, making Puigdemont’s return a particularly uncomfortable development for the party.
As authorities intensify their search for Puigdemont and the political landscape in Catalonia remains unsettled, all eyes are on the unfolding events in Barcelona.
