Summary of the day
Fugitive former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont returned to Spain after seven years in self-imposed exile.
He gave a short speech to a large crowd of supporters in Barcelona, telling the crowd of mainly older supporters: “I’ve come here today to remind you that we’re still here. We don’t have the right to give in, the right to self-determination belongs to the people.”
Puigdemont also said: “I don’t know when I’ll see you again but, whatever happens, when we see each other again we can once again shout out Viva! Free Catalonia!”
After the public speech, Puigdemont walked surrounded by the crowd and then disappeared.
A large police operation was launched to find him, with roadblocks set up and traffic disrupted in the region.
The driver of the car in which he escaped – an officer in the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police – was arrested amid serious questions for the force, which was at the rally in strength.
The conservative People’s party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has called today’s saga “an unbearable humiliation.” He also said “it’s painful to watch this madness live - a madness for which Pedro Sánchez is chiefly responsible.”
The far right Vox’s Santiago Abascal referred to today’s events as “the destruction of the state beamed live on Spanish television.”
A spokesperson for the Mossos has confirmed that Operación Jaula remains under way.
He also stressed that no arrest warrant had been issued for Jordi Turull, saying the force was currently looking into “any potential offences” committed in relation to Puigdemont’s escape.
After deactivating its operation to locate Puigdemont in the early afternoon, the Catalan police is still reportedly looking for the fugitive politician.
This post has been updated.
Updated
A spokesperson for the Catalan interior department has said that there is no arrest warrant for Jordi Turull, Reuters reported.
The regional police will summon him to testify on events related to Puigdemont’s escape, the spokesperson said.
El Mundo is reporting that Catalan police have ordered the secretary-general of Puigdemont’s Junts, Jordi Turull, be detained over his alleged role in the separatist leader’s escape.
Here are some images from Barcelona earlier today.
La Vanguardia reports that the Catalan regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, has deactivated its ‘cage’ operation to locate Puigdemont.
Updated
Local police estimates that 3,500 people participated in demonstrations in Barcelona today, El Pais reports.
Police officer arrested in connection with Puigdemont’s escape
A spokesperson for the Catalan regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, has confirmed that one of its officers has been arrested in connection with the investigation into Carles Puigdemont’s escape.
Spanish media have reported that a car belonging to a Mossos d’Esquadra officer was used in Puigdemont’s escape. The Mossos spokesperson said the force had no comment on the matter beyond confirming the arrest.
Updated
Albert Batet, who leads Puigdemont’s Junts party in the Catalan parliament, has attacked the Catalan Republican Left - its erstwhile, pro-independence partners in government - for helping to make Salvador Illa the new regional president.
“It’s a shame and its hurts,” he told regional MPs. “We’ve decided to stay true to republican values. The conditions now are harder and you have decided to take another path. Political unity is non-existent but popular will does exist.”
Illa has responded to Batet by taking him to task for failing to use his speech to mention “the concrete problems our people face” - such as energy, water and healthcare.
Illa’s words are intended to remind regional MPs, and the wider public, that he feels too much time has been wasted on the question of independence - to the detriment of public services and living conditions in Catalonia.
Updated
As El País’s Rebeca Carranco points out, Puigdemont’s disappearance is likely to leave the Catalan regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, facing some serious questions:
Puigdemont’s escape came before the eyes of more than 300 police officers in the centre of Barcelona. And now a huge number of officers are out, bringing the city to a standstill and cutting off access, which is causing bemusement among the Mossos themselves, who are talking ‘embarrassment’ and ‘dreadful consequences’ for the force.
La huida de Puigdemont a los ojos de más de 300 policías, en el centro de Barcelona. Y ahora un dispositivo de máximos, colapsando la ciudad y accesos, está causando estupefacción en los propios mossos, que hablan de "ridículo" y "pésimas consecuencias" para el cuerpo
— Rebeca Carranco (@RebecaCarranco) August 8, 2024
Meanwhile, the Catalan transit authority is reporting that the roadblocks set up as police search for Puigdemont are causing traffic jams.
🔴 A l'AP-7 hi ha 2 km de retenció entre Agullana i la Jonquera en sentit França.
— Trànsit (@transit) August 8, 2024
🟡 També hi ha un carril tallat a Sant Cugat del Vallès en sentit Girona per un camió #avariat. Intensitat pic.twitter.com/JiJCL63eww
The far right Vox’s Santiago Abascal is not happy either.
The destruction of the state beamed live on Spanish television.
A fugitive giving speeches in the street and then entering parliament is a humiliation for all those Spaniards who are forced to pay the stupidest fines. Sánchez is enjoying the destruction of legality because he sees in it an opportunity to carry on, immune, with his political and economic corruption. Crooks and traitors!
Carles Puigdemont spoke in front of a crowd in Barcelona this morning and then disappeared. He was not seen in the Catalan parliament’s session.
La destrucción del Estado de derecho se retransmite por TVE. Un prófugo dando discursos en la calle y entrando luego el parlamento es una humillación para todos los españoles obligados a pagar hasta la más estúpida multa.
— Santiago Abascal 🇪🇸 (@Santi_ABASCAL) August 8, 2024
Sánchez disfruta con la destrucción de la legalidad ,…
The conservative People’s party leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has called today’s saga “an unbearable humiliation.”
“It’s painful to watch this madness live - a madness for which Pedro Sánchez is chiefly responsible. Damaging Spain’s image like this is unforgivable,” he said.
Una humillación insoportable. Otra más.
— Alberto Núñez Feijóo (@NunezFeijoo) August 8, 2024
Es doloroso asistir en directo a este delirio del que @sanchezcastejon es el máximo responsable.
Es imperdonable dañar la imagen de España así.
While there’s been no government reaction to today’s events, the opposition has lost no time in accusing the Madrid government of failing to arrest Puigdemont.
“Another idiotic piece of theatre from Puigdemont,” Carlos Mazón, the conservative People’s party (PP) leader in Valencia posted on X. “The law must be upheld.”
Alicia García, the senate PP leader, blamed the Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez for the “shame and indignation” caused by the former Catalan president’s appearance.
Here are more images from Barcelona today.
Antonio Barroso, deputy director of research at Teneo, has written about the possible impact of the situation in Catalonia:
The developments in Catalonia might make it difficult for Sanchez to get enough parliamentary support to approve the 2025 draft budget since Puigdemont’s party might vote against it. However, barring any surprises, it is unlikely that Sanchez will call early elections if next year’s accounts fail to be ratified, opting instead for rolling over the current budget.
Sanchez has no incentive to call a snap poll before the end of the year, given that the opposition People’s Party (PP) is still ahead in the opinion polls. Moreover, the fact that the socialists will lead the first non-secessionist government in Catalonia since 2010 is a major electoral selling point for Sanchez. Therefore, he will want to give some time to the new administration to credibly claim that his strategy to defuse the Catalan problem has worked.
'Operation Jaula' underway
In what has been dubbed Operation Jaula (cage), Catalan police are stopping and searching vehicles heading towards the French border and there are traffic controls around the city centre following reports that Carles Puigdemont was seen leaving in a car.
Roadblocks set up as police search for Puigdemont
Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan separatist politician who returned to Spain today, is on the run and roadblocks have been set up, a Catalan interior department spokesperson said, Reuters reported.
Updated
Puigdemont’s allies are criticising the police’s move to try to locate him.
“This is not what a democracy does,” wrote Junts’ Aleix Sarri.
Hundreds of policemen encircle Barcelona to arrest President @KRLS Puigdemont. A hunt paid with public money to please the powers in Madrid. This is not what a democracy does. https://t.co/iOiH8IlYxq
— Aleix Sarri i Camargo (@aleixsarri) August 8, 2024
La Vanguardia reports that it is suspected Carles Puigdemont left the area by car, and that police is carrying out checks on all vehicles leaving for France at the La Jonquera border.
Outside Spain, some politicians are weighing in.
Siegfried Mureșan, a Romanian MEP and vice president of the centre-right European People’s party, has said that “politicians who break the law should be held accountable, not be allowed to deliver speeches.”
Politicians who break the law should be held accountable, not be allowed to deliver speeches. Carles #Puigdemont's arrival in #Spain without immediate arrest gives him a platform to defy the law. This is yet another sign of the weakening of Spain's #ruleoflaw.
— Siegfried Muresan 🇷🇴🇪🇺 (@SMuresan) August 8, 2024
Like so much in Catalan politics, Puigdemont’s dramatic reappearance is symbolic and in many ways an act of desperation as the movement he led is divided and in disarray and support for independence is at its lowest in 15 years.
By refusing to support the investiture of the socialist Salvador Illa, the rightful winner in last May’s regional election, his party has parked itself in the margins of Catalan politics, leaving its arch-rival, the Republican Left, to become the hegemonic voice of Catalan nationalism.
Puigdemont came to rally the troops but his forces are elderly and the average age of the crowd gathered to greet him here today is well above 60. Far from being a new beginning, the prevailing mood at today’s event has been one of ecstatic nostalgia.
Puigdemont ended his speech earlier this morning on a tantalising note: “I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, friends, But whatever happens, I hope that when we do see each other again we can shout, together and loudly: “Long life a free Catalonia.”
Updated
Ester Muñoz, from the conservative People’s party, has criticised today’s events.
“Impunity for 7 votes,” she wrote on social media.
La impunidad por 7 votos.
— ESTER MUÑOZ (@EsterMunoz85) August 8, 2024
El socio pasado y presente de Sánchez. El socio al que necesita seguir consintiendo para seguir en Moncloa.
Nada es casualidad. https://t.co/PeRh74GXno
Spanish TV journalist Jordi Évole has quipped: “Well, the new season of Lupin is not bad.”
Pues no está mal la nueva temporada de Lupin.
— Jordi Évole (@jordievole) August 8, 2024
Updated
Catalan police launch operation to find and arrest Puigdemont
Broadcaster TV3 reports that Catalan police has launched an operation to find and arrest Carles Puigdemont.
Updated
Meanwhile, the far right Vox says it will do everything possible so that Puigdemont is arrested.
‼ #URGENTE
— VOX 🇪🇸 (@vox_es) August 8, 2024
➡ @Igarrigavaz tras conocer que el prófugo Puigdemont celebra un acto y recorre las calles de Barcelona sin ser detenido:
"Estamos ante un hecho gravísimo. Haremos todo lo necesario para que se detenga a Puigdemont". pic.twitter.com/keXdvBo0an
Salvador Illa, the socialist set to become the regional president, is now giving his speech.
Carles Puigdemont’s location is unknown.
🔴🏛️ Intervenció del candidat a la presidència de la Generalitat de Catalunya, @salvadorilla, al Ple d'investidura.#PresidentIlla https://t.co/0gwnQVXWix
— Socialistes PSC/❤ (@socialistes_cat) August 8, 2024
Updated
The Catalan parliament session is starting.
Meanwhile, legislators are taking their seats in the Catalan parliament for today’s session.
Local television is reporting that Puigdemont has been located but that he is not under arrest.
Updated
After his brief speech, Carles Puigdemont was whisked through the crowd in the direction of the parliament building, surrounded by members of his Together for Catalunya party.
When the group reached parliament a few minutes ago, Puigdemont was not among them.
A helicopter is now patrolling above the parliament building but there will be questions asked if he evades arrest and slips back to his base in the south of France.
Updated
Stephen Burgen reports from Barcelona this morning:
It’s not clear that anyone really expected him to appear but on the dot of nine o’clock there he was, just like he’d never been away.
There was already an air of nostalgia for the days when many of the people assembled here believed that independence was within their grasp. The slogans on the T-shirts recounted the 12 years of meetings and marches that in the end brought, not independence, but bitterness and division and now the first non-nationalist Catalan government in 20 years.
It was on this very spot in 2017 that Carles Puigdemont appeared on a giant screen to declare the republic, only to announce eight seconds later that the declaration had been suspended. For those eight seconds the separatists thought their dream had come true, but it was brief journey from ecstasy to disappointment.
But now their leader was back, right here in the flesh.
History has moved on but for a few minutes here time stood still.
Puigdemont returns to Spain after years-long absence
Fugitive former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont has returned to Spain, addressing a crowd in Barcelona this morning.
I’ve come today to remind you that we’re still here.
Puigdemont is facing likely arrest.
🎥 President @KRLS Puigdemont: "No sé quan ens tornarem a veure. Però quan ens tornem a veure que podem cridar tots junts el crit amb què jo ara acabaré: Visca Catalunya lliure." pic.twitter.com/kaC3k9atT5
— Junts per Catalunya🎗 (@JuntsXCat) August 8, 2024
Updated
Who is Carles Puigdemont?
Puigdemont is a Catalan separatist from the Junts per Catalunya party who served as the regional president in 2016-2017. He has been living in self-imposed exile for the past seven years.
After fleeing Spain to avoid arrest for his role in the botched secession, leaving others in his cabinet to face trial and imprisonment, he reinvented himself in the small Belgian town of Waterloo as an MEP and the leader of what he termed a Catalan “government in exile”. Others, less charitably, had viewed him as an “operetta nationalist” and a spent, diminished figure.
But in May, Spanish MPs gave their final approval to the deeply divisive amnesty law that the country’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, offered Catalan separatists in return for helping him back to power after last year’s inconclusive general election.
Nevertheless, in July, Spain’s supreme court upheld arrest warrants for Puigdemont and others who are charged with misuse of public funds, ruling that the amnesty law did not apply to them.
This week, Puigdemont announced he will be at the Catalan parliament in Barcelona as it swears in the region’s new leader. The socialist politician Salvador Illa is set to be appointed as the new Catalan president.
Lili Bayer and Sam Jones
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