Puigdemont Vanishes in Spain

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, currently under a national arrest warrant, has reportedly returned to Belgium following a controversial visit to Barcelona on August 8. Catalan police chief Eduard Sallent stated there is “no objective proof” confirming Puigdemont's whereabouts, despite claims from Jordi Turull, secretary general of Puigdemont's party, Together for Catalonia (JxCat), that he had escaped to Waterloo, Belgium, after a brief political rally. Puigdemont originally fled to Belgium in 2017 after a failed independence bid. The situation has sparked outrage among conservative media and right-wing parties in Spain, who criticized the government for failing to apprehend Puigdemont. The Spanish Supreme Court recently denied Puigdemont amnesty for misappropriation of public funds related to the 2017 referendum, which was deemed illegal. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has called for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to address the parliament regarding the police operation's shortcomings, demanding the dismissal of key ministers for their perceived negligence. Turull expressed frustration within JxCat, warning that if the amnesty law is not fully applied to Puigdemont, the party may withdraw its support from Sánchez's coalition government, potentially destabilizing the administration. Meanwhile, Sánchez's government has remained largely silent on the matter, with Presidency Minister Felix Bolanos stating that the operation was under the jurisdiction of the Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra. As the investigation continues, the Supreme Court has requested explanations from the Mossos regarding their failure to arrest Puigdemont while he was in Barcelona, raising questions about the effectiveness of Spain's security measures.