Former Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont, who has been in self-imposed exile since orchestrating an illegal independence referendum in Catalonia almost seven years ago, has made a bold return to Spain. Despite an outstanding arrest warrant, Puigdemont appeared in Barcelona after arriving from Belgium. He is facing charges of embezzlement related to his involvement in the separatist movement seeking to secede Catalonia from Spain.
Puigdemont has been a staunch advocate for Catalonia’s independence, dedicating his political career to the cause of establishing a new nation in northeast Spain. This aspiration has fueled longstanding tensions and conflicts with both other separatist factions within Catalonia and the Spanish central government. His unwavering stance on independence has kept political tensions high in the region.
