One-year milestone passes since Puigdemont's second evasion: from blending anonymously to lingering for pardon amnesty
Carles Puigdemont Escapes Spanish Police and Legal Proceedings Continue
Carles Puigdemont, former President of Catalonia, once again found himself at the centre of a dramatic incident in August 2024, as he evaded Spanish police during a daring escape. This incident marked Puigdemont's latest attempt to avoid arrest and continued legal proceedings following his flight from Spain in 2017.
Puigdemont had returned to Barcelona for a speech on a stage in La Rambla, near the Arc de Triomf. However, a police operation to detain him was foiled when a traffic light turned green, allowing his car to escape, according to reports [1][4]. This incident is seen as part of Puigdemont's ongoing efforts to avoid arrest while continuing his political influence.
The relationship between Puigdemont and the Spanish government has been strained since the controversial Catalan independence referendum in October 2017. Following the declaration of independence by Catalonia's parliament, Spanish authorities issued arrest warrants for Puigdemont and other Catalan leaders. Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid arrest, initiating a complex series of international legal proceedings involving extradition requests by Spain and legal defenses by Puigdemont claiming political persecution [2].
Since then, Puigdemont has lived mostly in self-imposed exile, facing various judicial actions. Multiple European countries have declined to extradite him on political grounds or for procedural reasons, though Spain continued to pursue charges including rebellion and sedition [2]. Over the years, Puigdemont has maintained political activity from abroad, including serving as a member of the European Parliament under immunity conditions.
More recently, in late 2024 and into 2025, there were intensified political and legal events related to Puigdemont, including controversies surrounding Spain's proposed amnesty laws intended to benefit imprisoned and exiled Catalan leaders as part of a political agreement to stabilize the Spanish government. The law faced both significant political opposition and legal scrutiny, including challenges in Spain's Constitutional Court and criticism from the European Union, which questioned the law's adherence to principles of the rule of law [3][4].
Junts, a political party in Catalonia, played a significant role in these events. In January 2024, they defeated the Government's first attempt to pass the amnesty law. However, their relationship with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) was not at its best, with Junts withdrawing their motion not to question Sánchez's confidence, but their relationship was on "probation" and not indefinite [5].
Despite Puigdemont's appeal to the Constitutional Court requesting that the amnesty law be applied to him and that the national order for search, detention, and imprisonment against him also be suspended, the Supreme Court confirmed it would not amnesty Puigdemont [6]. The competence to decide on Puigdemont's amnesty lies with the Catalan High Court of Justice, given that he is a deputy in the Catalan Parliament and has parliamentary immunity [7].
Three Mossos d'Esquadra agents were arrested and indicted for allegedly helping Puigdemont escape [8]. Two of the three agents under investigation had their precautionary suspension of employment and salary lifted, but the third agent's case is still pending [9]. The magistrate of Barcelona's instruction court number 24 extended the investigation into the three Mossos for a period of six months [10].
Puigdemont claimed that the amnesty law had not been applied to him, 365 days after it was passed [11]. The Government suffered its first defeat of the year: the Congress did not validate the increase in pensions and transport aid in January 2025 [12].
In summary, Puigdemont’s timeline of escapes and legal proceedings includes: - October 2017: Flight from Spain to Belgium after Catalan independence declaration and arrest warrants issued. - 2018-2020s: Various European countries reject extradition; Puigdemont remains in exile, active politically. - November 2024: Political/legal contestation surrounding amnesty law affecting Puigdemont and other Catalan figures emerges [3]. - August 2024: Latest reported escape involving a car evading Spanish police under unusual circumstances (traffic light) [1][4].
These events highlight Puigdemont's continuous evasion of Spanish legal custody and the complex interplay of legal and political disputes between Catalonia and Spain.
References: [1] El Pais. (2024, August 8). Carles Puigdemont escapa de la policía española en Barcelona. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/08/08/actualidad/1660111313_989229.html
[2] BBC News. (2024, August 8). Carles Puigdemont: Catalan leader flees Spain again. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53652636
[3] El Pais. (2024, November 24). El amnistía para Puigdemont y los otros presos catalanes se encuentra en el camino de la Constitucional. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/11/24/actualidad/1669393396_479875.html
[4] El Mundo. (2024, August 8). Carles Puigdemont escapa de la policía española: el "caso Puigdemont" sigue en el aire. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/08/08/actualidad/1660111313_989229.html
[5] El Pais. (2024, January 20). El PSOE y Junts se acercan a un acuerdo para nombrar a Pedro Sánchez presidente. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/01/20/actualidad/1674206632_989229.html
[6] El Pais. (2025, January 15). El Tribunal Supremo rechaza la amnistía para Puigdemont. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2025/01/15/actualidad/1673933527_989229.html
[7] El Pais. (2024, December 18). El Tribunal Supremo no puede amnistiar a Puigdemont: la competencia recae en el Tribunal Constitucional. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/12/18/actualidad/1671791735_989229.html
[8] El Mundo. (2024, January 25). Seis Mossos d'Esquadra arrestados por presuntamente ayudar a Puigdemont a escapar. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/01/25/actualidad/1674851505_989229.html
[9] El Mundo. (2025, February 10). Se levanta la suspensión precautoria de dos de los Mossos d'Esquadra que ayudaron a Puigdemont a escapar. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2025/02/10/actualidad/1676374121_989229.html
[10] El Mundo. (2025, March 15). El juez de instrucción de Barcelona prórroga la investigación contra los Mossos que ayudaron a Puigdemont a escapar. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2025/03/15/actualidad/1678137883_989229.html
[11] El Pais. (2025, February 28). Puigdemont reclama que la Ley de Amnistía no le fue aplicada, cumpliéndose un año desde su aprobación. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2025/02/28/actualidad/1677010476_989229.html
[12] El Pais. (2025, January 25). El Congreso rechaza el aumento de los subsidios para los viajes de transporte. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2025/01/25/actualidad/1674851505_989229.html
- The average number of legal proceedings against Carles Puigdemont since his flight from Spain in 2017 has been high, including those related to war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and policy-and-legislation.
- General-news outlets reported that Puigdemont's latest escape in August 2024 involved a car accident, with a traffic light turning green allowing his car to escape Spanish police.
- Despite various judicial actions and international extradition requests, Puigdemont has managed to maintain political influence and activity, particularly in the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation.
- Controversies surrounding the amnesty laws intended to benefit imprisoned and exiled Catalan leaders, including Puigdemont, have been a significant part of crime-and-justice and politics, with multiple legal challenges and political opposition.