The News
Police in Barcelona have launched a search operation to find Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, after he made a surprise return to the city on Thursday after seven years in self-imposed exile.
Puigdemont is wanted on charges of misusing public funds after he led a failed separatist effort in the Catalonia region in 2017.
After addressing a crowd on Thursday, Puigdemont has not been seen. One local police officer was arrested for his alleged involvement in supporting Puigdemont’s escape, El País reported.
Puigdemont’s return will likely rock Spanish politics, the Financial Times noted, as the current Socialist government relies on his party’s votes for its parliamentary majority. He could also revitalize the long-standing separatist effort for independence in Catalonia.
This is a developing news story and will be updated.