Ex-Catalan chief Carles Puigdemont returns to Spain — then vanishes once more

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Police launched a manhunt in Barcelona on Thursday for ex-Catalonia chief and fugitive Carles Puigdemont, a celebrated campaigner for Catalan independence who made a sensational return to Spain and an equally sensational getaway from a speech within the metropolis with the alleged assist of native cops.

The occasions occurred practically seven years after Puigdemont fled Spain after a failed independence bid, with an excellent arrest warrant pending in opposition to him.

Puigdemont had beforehand introduced his intention to be in Spain on a day that Catalonia’s parliament is because of swear in a brand new president. The 61-year-old initially lived in Belgium after bolting from Spain in 2017, however his newest place of residence wasn’t identified.

Puigdemont stored his journey plans secret earlier than getting down to the rich Catalan area in northeastern Spain. He gave a speech in entrance of a giant crowd of supporters in central Barcelona beneath the noses of cops, who made no try to detain him.

After his speech, in a cloak-and-dagger second, Puigdemont went into an adjoining marquee tent. There, he hurried out of an exit and jumped right into a ready automobile that sped away, in response to an Related Press photographer who witnessed his departure.

Catalan police arrested two of their very own officers on the suspicion of aiding Puigdemont’s getaway, suspecting the previous chief of Catalonia used the non-public automobile of one among them, the pressure’s press workplace advised The Related Press. No additional particulars have been accessible.

About three hours after Puigdemont vanished, Catalan police — known as Mossos d’Esquadra — known as off site visitors checks with out saying why, however later stated they resumed them after a few hours.

Officers initially held again from swooping to arrest Puigdemont out of concern the transfer may “cause public disorder,” a police assertion stated. Officers tried to cease the fleeing car, however have been unable to take action, it stated, although it added that additional arrests have been anticipated. The assertion did not elaborate.

The Catalan police pressure operates individually from Spain’s Policía Nacional. On the time of the 2017 poll, the Spanish authorities suspended the Mossos’ chief and positioned the pressure beneath investigation for failing to cease the vote. The chief and his workers have been finally exonerated.

Authorities had arrange a police cordon on the close by regional parliament the place Puigdemont was anticipated to go after his speech.

As soon as Puigdemont had slipped away, roadside police models checked automobiles throughout the town of round 1.6 million folks in an effort to nab him. The checks snarled metropolis site visitors. Police additionally checked automobiles heading on highways to neighboring France.

Puigdemont faces expenses of embezzlement for his half in an try to interrupt Catalonia away from the remainder of Spain in 2017. As regional president and separatist occasion chief on the time, he was a key participant within the independence referendum that was outlawed by the central authorities however went forward anyway.

These occasions triggered a political disaster that roiled Spain for months.

Puigdemont’s look in Barcelona, Catalonia’s capital, and his sport of cat-and-mouse with police, stole the present on a day when a brand new authorities was being sworn in on the regional parliament.

Native police have been deployed in a safety ring round a piece of the park the place Catalonia’s parliament constructing is positioned behind partitions. In the meantime, Puigdemont, carrying a darkish swimsuit, white shirt and tie, walked with supporters to the close by stage the place he gave his speech.

Addressing the gang within the park and at instances pumping his fist, Puigdemont accused Spanish authorities of “a crackdown” on the Catalan separatist motion.

“For the last seven years we have been persecuted because we wanted to hear the voice of the Catalan people,” Puigdemont stated. “They have made being Catalan into something suspicious.”

Supporters of Catalan independence chief Carles Puigdemont maintain his portrait as they anticipate his arrival close to the Catalan Parliament on Thursday.

Emilio Morenatti/AP

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Emilio Morenatti/AP

He added: “All people have the right to self-determination.”

The gripping flip of occasions, broadcast reside on Spanish tv channels, was prone to convey political recriminations.

The chief of the In style Social gathering, the primary opposition to Spain’s left-of-center coalition authorities which has lengthy rebuffed Catalonia’s independence motion, condemned Puigdemont’s return. Alberto Núñez Feijóo posted on X that Puigdemont’s reappearance was an “unbearable humiliation” that broken Spain’s popularity.

Spain’s authorities inspired a deal brokered after months of impasse between Salvador Illa’s Catalan Socialist Social gathering (PSC) and the opposite most important Catalan separatist occasion and left-wing Esquerra Republicana (ERC). That deal had ensured simply sufficient assist in Catalonia’s parliament for Illa to grow to be the following regional president in a vote later Thursday.

Chatting with Catalan lawmakers earlier than the vote, Illa known as for reconciliation and respect for Spain’s controversial amnesty invoice. He vowed to manipulate for all Catalans after years of bitter divisions between these in favor of independence and people in opposition to it.

Puigdemont has devoted his profession to the purpose of carving out a brand new nation in northeast Spain — a wrestle which is decades-old and has typically thumbed his nostril at authorities. His largely uncompromising method has introduced political battle with different separatist events in addition to with Spain’s central authorities.

A contentious amnesty invoice, crafted by Spain’s Socialist-led coalition authorities, may probably clear Puigdemont and tons of of different supporters of Catalan independence of any wrongdoing within the 2017 poll. Spain’s central authorities and the Constitutional Courtroom declared on the time that the referendum was unlawful.

However the invoice, accepted by Spain’s parliament earlier this yr, is being challenged by the Supreme Courtroom, which argues the pardon does not apply to embezzlement, in contrast to different crimes that Puigdemont had beforehand been charged with.

Puigdemont could possibly be positioned in pretrial detention if he’s arrested.