Carles Puigdemont: Police hunt ex-Catalan separatist leader after return from exile

Officials say Mr Puigdemont is on the run and have ordered police to set up roadblocks around the city.

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The Mossos d'Esquadra - Catalan police - set up roadblocks within Barcelona and leading out of the city as part of Operation Jaula - or "cage" - aimed at finding Mr Puigdemont, who was seen leaving a rally this morning in a car. The operation was reportedly ended a few hours later.

For much of the past several years he has lived in Brussels, after police indicted him on charges linked to a failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017.

At the time, Catalonia's pro-independence leaders including Mr Puigdemont organised a referendum - which was ruled illegal by Spain's constitutional court - and later declared independence for the region. Madrid imposed direct rule on the region shortly after and Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium.

On Thursday morning, Mr Puigdemont briefly addressed hundreds of supporters who gathered near the Catalan parliament in Barcelona, shortly ahead of the expected investiture of a new head of the Catalan government.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy4er50ejro

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