Puigdemont admits escape was 'alternative plan’ to continue to ‘resist oppression' 

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has confirmed that his escape from Barcelona on August 8 after his short return to Catalonia for the first time in seven years was an "alternative plan" to avoid being arrested. 

In an opinion article that Puigdemont published on American digital media outlet Politico, the independence referendum leader explained that his aim was to enter the Catalan parliament and attend the presidential investiture debate in person, but the police had cordoned off the area around the building and that would have led to his arrest. 

"If I had tried, it would have been tantamount to surrendering to the judicial authorities — who I believe lack the legal authority to persecute me, as they’re in violation of international norms, as well as legislation passed by the Spanish congress," Puigdemont wrote from Belgium, where he has confirmed he has been since August 10.  

"I didn’t return to Catalonia to be arrested. I returned to exercise the right to resist oppression," he continued. 

The former Catalan president also explained that he has not been tried nor convicted, and that an amnesty law has been approved but is being held up by Supreme Court judges. Puigdemont went further and called this a " hybrid coup." 

"The politicized second chamber of the Supreme Court has decided to rebel against a law it doesn’t like, disobeying a democratic parliament," Puigdemont commented. 

He also criticized the role of the Catalan police for the special operation activated to find him on his way to cross the border. However, three Mossos d’Esquadra police officers were arrested for allegedly collaborating in his escape from Catalonia.  

"The last time such a massive operation was orchestrated in Catalonia was exactly seven years ago [...] and on that occasion, it was due to the terrible jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils," Puigdemont said. 

To finish his article, Puigdemont wrote: "Now I hope that one day, justice will return to the Spanish courts, and judges will respect a law passed by parliament, so that I can return home permanently." 

Why would Puigdemont have been arrested? 

On June 11, the amnesty law was published in Spain's Official Gazette (BOE) officially coming into effect.   

Since then, more than 80 people have benefited from it, but not Carles Puigdemont.   

The law granted amnesty for the crime of disobedience for which the independence leaders were convicted, but Spain's Supreme Court ruled that the crime of misuse of public funds is not included in the amnesty law for the Catalan pro-independence movement.  

As a result, arrest warrants are still in force for former president Carles Puigdemont, along with other exiled pro-independence leaders Toni Comín and Lluis Puig.  

In addition, Carles Puigdemont is also investigated for the alleged Russian plot to support Catalan independence, the Volhov case. The judge in this case refused to grant amnesty to Puigdemont.