Ousted Catalan Leader Fled Spain, Now Faces Arrest Abroad

Spain issues international arrest warrant for Carles Puigdemont, aides
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 3, 2017 6:03 PM CDT
Spain Issues Arrest Warrant for Ousted Catalan Leader
Sacked Catalonian President Carles Puigdemont looks on after a press conference in Brussels, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017.   (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

A Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant on Friday for former members of the Catalan Cabinet who were last seen in Brussels, including the ousted separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who said he was prepared to run for his old job even while battling extradition in Belgium. The AP reports the National Court judge filed the request with the Belgian prosecutor to detain Puigdemont and his four aides, and issued separate international search and arrest warrants to alert Interpol in case they flee Belgium. Puigdemont's Belgian lawyer has said his client will fight extradition to Spain without seeking political asylum. Belgian federal prosecutors said they had received the arrest warrant and could question Puigdemont in coming days.

Puigdemont and the four others are being sought for five different crimes, including rebellion, sedition, and embezzlement in a Spanish investigation into their roles in pushing for secession for Catalonia. The officials flew to Brussels after Spanish authorities removed Puigdemont and his Cabinet from office on Saturday for declaring independence for Catalonia. The Spanish government has also called an early regional election for Dec. 21. Puigdemont told Belgian state broadcaster that he was in Belgium "ready to be a candidate" in the early polls and because he had lost faith in the Spanish justice system. "We can run a campaign anywhere because we're in a globalized world," he said.

(More Carles Puigdemont stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X