Police hunt fugitive Catalan leader after return to Spain

Catalan police are hunting for fugitive Catalonia separatist Carles Puigdemont after he dramatically returned to Spain for the first time in seven years to address a crowd of thousands yesterday before vanishing again.

- RACHEL HAGAN

The 61-year-old, a former president of the Catalonia region, climbed a stage to give a short speech near the Catalan parliament in Barcelona to thousands of followers who had shown up with independence flags and signs showing his face.

“Today, many thought they’d be celebrating my arrest, and thought that this punishment would dissuade us – and you,” he said. “Today I came to remind them that we are still here! We are still here because we have no right to quit.”

Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium seven years ago after Catalonia unilaterally (and unsuccessfully) declared independence from Spain. He has been living in exile ever since. He faces an arrest warrant for alleged embezzlement, which he denies.

The Catalan ministry of the interior has confirmed he is now on the run again. Police were stopping and searching vehicles heading towards the French border and there were traffic controls around the city centre following reports that Puigdemont was seen leaving in a car; roadblocks were also set up. The searches created traffic chaos in Barcelona and near the border. The operation, named Jaula (cage), was ended a few hours later.

A ministry of the interior spokesperson said: “I can confirm Puigdemont has not been detained yet.”