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Carles Puigdemont, the exiled ex-Catalan chief, has evaded a large police manhunt and fled Spain, his occasion has mentioned.
Spanish authorities launched a big manhunt for Mr Puigdemont on Thursday after he made a shock return to Spain, gave a brief speech to crowds in Barcelona after which disappeared.
The 61-year-old is needed by Spain on costs linked to a failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017.
After a tumultuous 24 hours on the run, Mr Puigdemont is now again in Belgium the place he lives, his occasion’s secretary normal Jordi Turull mentioned on Friday.
In 2017, Catalonia’s pro-independence leaders together with Mr Puigdemont organised a referendum – which was dominated unlawful by Spain’s constitutional court docket – and later declared independence for the area.
Madrid imposed direct rule on the area quickly after and Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium.
For a lot of the previous a number of years he has lived in Brussels.
On his return after seven years in exile, Mr Puigdemont briefly addressed lots of of supporters gathered close to the Catalan parliament in Barcelona.
“Long live a free Catalonia!” he advised supporters and worldwide journalists on Thursday, earlier than saying that he had returned “to remind you that we are still here”.
“Holding a referendum is not and will never be a crime,” Mr Puigdemont added earlier than shortly disappearing.
In an interview with RAC1 radio station on Friday, Mr Turull mentioned he knew the ex-Catalan chief was in Brussels however couldn’t verify whether or not he had made it again to his residence within the Waterloo municipality.
The chief commissioner of Catalan police Mossos d’Esquadra, Eduard Sallent, advised journalists on Friday he didn’t have any details about Mr Puigdemont’s whereabouts and the plan had been to arrest him “in the most suitable place”.
He confirmed that two officers had been detained on suspicion of serving to Mr Puigdemont flee, including that “it is possible that other Mossos helped him in his escape” and the pressure would observe the suitable prison and administrative course of for every case.
One officer allegedly owns a automotive during which Mr Puigdemont escaped after making his handle, Spanish media reported. The pressure denied allegations that there had been any collusion with the previous chief.
Instead, it mentioned, he “took advantage of the numbers of people around him and fled the scene in a vehicle that the Mossos tried to stop but failed”.
According to the occasion’s secretary normal, Mr Puigdemont had been in Barcelona since Tuesday earlier than making his shock look exterior Barcelona’s parliament on Thursday.
Mr Turull mentioned the previous separatist chief had dinner in Barcelona on Tuesday evening and spent all of Wednesday and Thursday within the area.
His look coincided with the investiture of Socialist Salvador Illa as the brand new Catalan president.
A manhunt was launched, with roadblocks arrange quickly round Barcelona and Spanish TV exhibiting photographs from La Jonquera, a municipality bordering France, the place police may very well be seen stopping automobiles and checking the boots.
Catalonia’s police are going through robust scrutiny from a Spanish Supreme Court decide, who has demanded a proof as to why Mr Puigdemont was capable of get away.
Judge Pablo Llarena, who issued Mr Puigdemont’s arrest warrant, has additionally requested Spain’s inside ministry about its plans to arrest him on the border.
In paperwork made public by the Supreme Court, Mr Llarena requested the ministry to elucidate what orders had been issued to detain him “after his escape”.
On Friday, Justice Minister Felix Bolanos mentioned the seek for Mr Puigdemont was the Mossos’ duty because the regulation enforcement authority in Catalonia.
But Mossos director normal Pere Ferrer mentioned Thursday’s occasions left the police “in a situation they do not deserve” and blaming officers for “unresolved political problems is bad business”.
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