The Catalan regional police are currently searching for Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan separatist leader, who returned to Barcelona this morning after nearly seven years in exile.
Puigdemont announced he intended to attend the inauguration of the new regional president of Catalonia, the socialist Salvador Illa, but has since gone missing.
Return and disappearance
Around 9.00 am, Puigdemont appeared alongside Josep Rull, the president of the Catalan parliament, at a gathering of his supporters in central Barcelona. Addressing approximately 3,500 supporters near the parliament, he reiterated his call for a “free and independent Catalonia.” Following his speech, Puigdemont disappeared.
Reports from ElNacional.cat state the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan police) arrested an agent from their force this morning in connection with the escape of President Carles Puigdemont.
The police officer is the owner of a white Honda , which Puigdemont allegedly used to disappear from the Arc de Triomf, where he had appeared before the investiture plenary session.
Police actions
According to the newspaper El País, the Spanish police aimed to arrest Puigdemont just before Illa’s inauguration ceremony began, but he had already left the scene. The police have now intensified vehicle checks at the city’s outskirts, fearing Puigdemont may have fled again. His return had been announced yesterday, despite an active Spanish arrest warrant against him for alleged embezzlement of public funds used to finance the illegal independence referendum in 2017.
Exemption from amnesty
Spain’s amnesty law provides immunity to many Catalan separatists involved in the independence referendum. However, Puigdemont’s embezzlement charges exclude him from this amnesty.
Exile in Belgium
Since October 2017, the former Catalan president had been living in exile in Belgium. Following the banned referendum, he reportedly fled to Belgium in the trunk of a car. He resided in Waterloo, near Brussels, and for much of his exile, he served as a Member of the European Parliament representing his party, Junts per Catalunya.
Also read: Puigdemont’s return for Illa’s investiture sparks tension in Catalonia