Catalan Separatist Leader Heads For Belgium After Evading Arrest in Spain

Carles Puigdemont was en route back to Waterloo, his self-imposed exile home since a failed independence bid seven years ago. The Catalonian separatist leader managed to evade Spanish police after speaking at a rally in Barcelona, where there was a warrant for his arrest. Jordi Turull, the general secretary of the pro-Catalan independence party Junts per Catalunya, revealed that Puigdemont’s whereabouts upon arrival in Belgium were unknown. He has been living in Waterloo since the failed secession attempt in 2017. Puigdemont’s recent appearance in Spain and subsequent escape has stirred controversy, especially among conservative opponents critical of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s amnesty deal for separatists. However, Junts per Catalunya is reconsidering its support for the government following a Supreme Court ruling that excluded Puigdemont and two others from the amnesty law meant for secessionists charged with embezzlement. Turull emphasized that unless all charged individuals are included in the amnesty law, their support for the government may be in jeopardy. Puigdemont’s return to Catalonia and swift departure has raised questions about police oversight and government response, with the Mossos d’Esquadra under scrutiny for failing to arrest him. Judge Pablo Llarena of the Supreme Court has called for explanations from the Mossos and the Interior Ministry regarding the incident. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo condemned Puigdemont’s escape as damaging to Spain’s reputation. Puigdemont remains dedicated to Catalonia’s independence cause, despite the political turmoil it has caused within the region. Please rephrase

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