Puigdemont in Barcelona

Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan separatist leader, returned to Barcelona after seven years in self-imposed exile, defying an arrest warrant to address thousands of supporters at a rally. During his speech, he called for the revival of Catalonia's independence movement and accused Spanish authorities of persecuting Catalans. After the rally, Puigdemont reportedly escaped in a car owned by a police officer, prompting a manhunt by regional police, who later arrested the officer involved. Authorities are investigating Puigdemont's whereabouts following his brief appearance, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the Catalan separatist movement and the Spanish government. The incident further complicates the relationship between Puigdemont's Junts party and the Socialist-led national government. Puigdemont faces embezzlement charges related to the 2017 independence referendum, which has been deemed illegal by Spanish courts.