Police chase ex-Catalan rebel leader after surprising return from exile

Authorities in Barcelona are currently searching for Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia. He recently returned to Spain after seven years in exile despite having an arrest warrant against him.

As part of Operation Jaula, the Catalan police, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra, have established roadblocks both within Barcelona and on the city's outskirts. This operation aims to locate Mr Puigdemont, spotted in a vehicle after a rally earlier today.

After being indicted on charges related to a failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017, he has resided in Brussels for the past several years.

Mr Puigdemont spoke briefly to a large crowd of supporters near the Catalan parliament in Barcelona just before the anticipated appointment of a new leader for the Catalan government.

In a recent statement, he emphasised the importance of reminding the public that their presence is still significant. He firmly stated that conducting a referendum should not be considered a criminal act, both now and in the future.

After that, Mr. Puigdemont vanished.

There was widespread anticipation for his arrival at the parliament building for the investiture ceremony at 10:00 (08:00 GMT), but he failed to appear.

According to a spokesperson for Catalonia's interior department, roadblocks have been established throughout the city.

Images from La Jonquera, a municipality bordering France, were also broadcasted on Spanish TV, showing police stopping cars and inspecting their trunks.

Aleix Sarri, an ally of Puidgemont, expressed criticism of the police operation on X, highlighting the fact that hundreds of police officers had surrounded Barcelona to arrest President Puigdemont—a publicly funded hunt aimed at appeasing the authorities in Madrid. According to critics, this is not how a democracy operates.

According to reports, police resorted to the use of pepper spray to disperse a group of Puigdemont supporters who had assembled near the parliament.

According to Ignacio Garriga, a member of the Vox party, known for its strong opposition to Catalonia's independence, Vox is determined to take all necessary measures to ensure the arrest of Puigdemont.

Multiple motives drive Carles Puigdemont's return to Spain.

He pressures the authorities to include him in applying the new amnesty law, as the Supreme Court previously excluded him for technical reasons.

Additionally, he intends to challenge the inauguration of Socialist Salvador Illa as the new Catalan president today.

In a significant political shift, the region is poised to have its first non-nationalist leader in over a decade, with the former Spanish health minister at the helm.

Mr Puigdemont's priority is establishing himself and his Junts per Catalunya (JxCat) party as the leading pro-independence entity.

According to him, there is an apparent effort to portray the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) as complicit with Spanish unionism due to their agreement to support Mr. Illa's investiture.

With a new local government yet to be established, the Catalan police force remains under the responsibility of ERC, which adds an extra layer of discomfort for the party regarding the former regional president's return.