Ex-Catalan president Puigdemont returns to Barcelona with a “theatre blunder”

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont made a startling return to Spain after seven years of fleeing in Belgium. The former leader pursued by National Police, arrived in Barcelona to address a crowd of a few thousand on August 8, as the new regional president was declared.

Former Catalan president, Puigdemont returns to Spain

August 8 marked a theatrical day for the Spanish government, as the former Catalan leader Puigdemont reappeared in Barcelona to address his supporters, after escaping from the National Police.

The day marked the election of the new President of the Government of Catalonia, Socialist Party candidate Salvador Illa by a margin of 68 votes to 66. A close ally of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Illa is a former Health Minister who had campaigned to consolidate the region and transform its public services;  “I will govern for everyone, serving with plurality and respect.”

After winning the most seats in May´s regional election, Illa failed to gain an overall majority; pro-independence parties were then able to create an alliance to keep their power but received no support and came second in the election.

Puigdemont´s Party denied Illa´s candidacy but he gained the support of the rival separatist Catalan Republic Left Party in exchange for Catalonia´s greater fiscal autonomy, as promised by Illa. Despite Puigdemont´s dramatic appearance, the pro-independence parties faced a decisive loss for the first time in over a decade.

Ex-Catalan president, Puigdemont escapes from the police in Spain

Puigdemont has been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium since fleeing Spain in 2017 to avoid arrest for operating an illegal independence referendum in Catalonia. Along with his escape, nine members of Puigdemont´s government were sentenced to up to 13 years in jail. Yet, three years later, a law was passed by Pedro Sanchez, pardoning the alleged members.

Spain´s supreme court still upheld arrest warrants for Puigdemont and the members of his Party for misuse of public funds but ruled that the amnesty law previously applied was no longer appropriate in their case.

This August, Puigdemont announced that he plans to attend the August 8 election in Barcelona and as he did, he took to the Arc de Triomf stage, declaring; “I´ve come here today to remind you that we´re still here. We don´t have the right to give in, the right to self-determination belongs to the people. Catalonia must be allowed to decide its future.”

The former Catalan President urged his supporters; “I don´t know when I´ll see you again but, whatever happens, when we see each other again we can once again shout out ´Long Live Free Catalonia!´” Puigdemont was then drifted out of sight by the members of his Together for Catalonia Party in the direction of the parliament building. When the group arrived, however, he was no longer found, despite at least 300 police officers present at the scene.

Past Catalan president Puigdemont causes “humiliation” to Spain

“Puigdemont fled because the law was followed in Spain and today he returns because Sanchez has proclaimed himself the State and the law,” argued the General Secretary of the People´s Party Cuca Gamarra about the incident. He blamed the Prime Minister for allowing the former Catalan leader to perform the “theatre blunder,” or as he called it, a “consensual humiliation.”

The Conservative People´s Party leader Alberto Nuñez Feijoo also referred to the incident as “an unbearable humiliation,” stating; “It´s painful to watch this madness live – a madness for which Pedro Sanchez is chiefly responsible. Damaging Spain´s image like this is unforgivable.”

Two officers of the regional police force, the Mossos d´Esquadra, were arrested the following day, suspected of conspiring with Puigdemont and helping him to escape; one of the arrested is alleged to be the owner of the car in which Puigdemont fled. Reports on regional radio claimed that the former president made a pact with the police; agreeing that as long as he is allowed to speak at the elections, he would surrender.

The police, however, commented that they are continuing their efforts to capture Puigdemont and are now operating an arrest mission with roadblocks set up on routes to the French border. Ignacio Garriga of the far-right Vox party promised that Vox themselves, would “do everything necessary to ensure that Puigdemont is arrested.”