BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Carles PuigdemontThe former leader of Catalonia, who fled Spain after organizing an illegal independence referendum in the wealthy Spanish region nearly seven years ago, announced he plans to return home on Thursday despite the likelihood of arrest.
Puigdemont, 61, who fled to Belgium after the secession bid in October 2017 quickly collapsed, said Wednesday he would attend an event organized by his political party Together for Catalonia (Junts) near Barcelona’s regional parliament building, just hours before a new regional government was due to take office.
He did not say when or how he would arrive in Spain. The political event in Barcelona is likely to gather many of Puigdemont’s supporters.
The Mossos D’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police, say they plan to follow court orders to arrest Puigdemont if he returns.
In his announcement on YouTube, Puigdemont acknowledged that he “cannot freely attend” the planned parliamentary session and accused authorities of “a prolonged persecution” over the failed secession attempt.
“This challenge must be taken up and met,” he said.
Puigdemont’s return is likely to reignite political tensions over the simmering issue of Catalan independence, a failed secession attempt that has caused a protracted constitutional crisis in Spain.
Puigdemont and his supporters have long adopted a confrontational and sometimes provocative attitude towards the Spanish central authorities, particularly the government in Madrid.
The return of the former Catalan leader threatened to complicate a deal reached after months of deadlock between Salvador Illa’s Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and the other major Catalan separatist party, the left-wing Esquerra Republicana (ERC).
That deal would have guaranteed just enough support The Parliament of Catalonia that Illa will become the next regional president, during a nomination debate on Thursday. The debate is scheduled shortly after Puigdemont’s first scheduled event and will take place amid tight security.
Puigdemont, who is wanted on charges of misusing public funds, among other offenses, during the secession attempt, has dedicated his career to the goal of creating a new country in northeastern Spain — a decades-old struggle. His largely uncompromising approach has led to political conflict with other separatist parties and with Spain’s central government.
A controversial amnesty law, drafted by Spain’s Socialist-led coalition government, would potential clear Puigdemont and hundreds of other supporters of Catalan independence from the 2017 elections.
But the bill, approved by the Spanish Parliament earlier this year, is to be challenged By the High Councilwhich created uncertainty about which crimes would be pardoned. Puigdemont could be placed in pre-trial detention.
Puigdemont’s escape from Spain has become a legend among his followers and a huge source of embarrassment for Spanish law enforcement. He is a celebrated figurehead for many Catalans who want to break away from the rest of Spain.
Earlier this year, Puigdemont denied hiding in the trunk of a car to avoid detection when he crossed the border after the referendum. The subsequent judicial crackdown left several of his supporters in jail until the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pardoned them.
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Barry Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.
