Police in Barcelona are attempting to find the separatist former chief of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, who made a dramatic return to Spain after a seven-year exile regardless of dealing with an impressive arrest warrant.
For a lot of the previous a number of years he has lived in Brussels, after police indicted him on fees linked to a failed bid for independence in 2017.
Mr Puigdemont briefly addressed a whole lot of supporters who gathered close to the Catalan parliament in Barcelona, shortly forward of the anticipated investiture of a brand new head of the Catalan authorities.
He mentioned he had returned “to remind you that we’re nonetheless right here” and added: “Holding a referendum isn’t and can by no means be against the law.”
Mr Puigdemont then disappeared.
Many have been anticipating him to show up contained in the parliament constructing in time for the investiture ceremony at 10:00 (08:00 GMT), however he was nowhere to be seen.
Spanish media reported that an operation to search out and arrest Mr Puigdemont has now been launched by the Mossos d’Esquadra – Catalan police. Quoting police sources, newspaper El Pais mentioned the exits from Barcelona have been closed.
Roadblocks have additionally been arrange throughout the town, a spokesperson for Catalonia’s inside division mentioned in an announcement.
There look like a number of motives behind Carles Puigdemont’s return to Spain.
Firstly, he needs to stress the authorities into making use of the brand new amnesty legislation to him, after the supreme courtroom excluded him from its software on technical grounds.
He additionally goals to disrupt the investiture of Socialist Salvador Illa as the brand new Catalan president at the moment.
The previous Spanish well being minister would turn out to be the area’s first non-nationalist chief since 2010.
Equally necessary for Mr Puigdemont is to say himself and his Junts per Catalunya (JxCat) social gathering as the principle pro-independence power.
He’s eager to solid his separatist rival, the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), as being complicit with Spanish unionism due to its settlement to assist Mr Illa’s investiture.
Till a brand new native authorities is in place, ERC remains to be answerable for the Catalan police power, making the previous regional president’s return significantly uncomfortable for the social gathering.
