Separatist Puigdemont says he has returned to Belgium

Catalan separatist Puigdemont managed to escape to Belgium after appearing in Barcelona. In X he stated that he never intended to deport or facilitate his arrest.

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, wanted under an arrest warrant, is in exile in Belgium after appearing in Barcelona. “I’m in Waterloo today after a tough few days,” the 61-year-old wrote on the X platform.

Puigdemont speaks of a “witch hunt”.

Puigdemont initially did not comment on questions about his political future. At the same time, the politician, who is wanted in Spain under an arrest warrant, criticized the Catalan security authorities. They would conduct a “witch hunt” against those close to him in Catalonia.

The general secretary of Puigdemont’s Junts party, Jordi Turul, had previously said that Puigdemont had returned to Belgium. Catalan police previously insisted they did not know where Puigdemont was and doubted Durul’s confession.

Officials admit defeat

After a short speech to supporters in the center of Barcelona on Thursday, Puigdemont described the massive manhunt launched after his disappearance as completely disproportionate. It burdened innocent citizens and wasted public money. He accused the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police unit that was about to arrest him, of acting like the Spanish police.

In a press conference with Catalonia’s Interior Minister Joan Ignacy Elena, the leadership of the Mossos de Escuatra admitted defeat in the arrest of Puigdemont in Barcelona. However, the minister stressed that no one could have predicted Puigdemont’s “inappropriate” behaviour.

Police officers reportedly helped them escape

After his speech, Puigdemont did not go to parliament as announced, where socialist Salvador Illa will be elected as Catalonia’s new prime minister. Illa is the first head of Barcelona’s regional government to oppose the region’s secession from Spain. Instead, Puigdemont got into a car and drove off to an unknown location. The two arrested police officers reportedly helped him. The police launched an intensive search through roadblocks.

Puigdemont reiterated, however, that Spanish investigative judge Pablo Llarena accused Puigdemont of embezzling public funds for his own benefit in 2017 in connection with the independence referendum. But it is excluded from amnesty.