Pro-independence figures in Switzerland return to Catalonia after Tsunami Democràtic case shelved

Several pro-independence figures residing in Switzerland after leaving Spain due to their involvement in the independence push and being prosecuted by Spanish authorities have returned to Catalonia after the Tsunami Democràtic protest group case dropped.

The group of figures that include Esquerra Republicana (ERC) leader Marta Rovira, ERC MP Ruben Wagensberg, and other activists crossed the French-Spanish border at 8:25 am, and arrived at the municipality of Cantallops in the Alt Empordà county at 9 am.

There, they hugged some of the main ERC members, including former president Oriol Junqueras, who wants to recover his position in November during a party summit. As well as friends and pro-independence Junts party members. 

"We returned [to Catalonia] as we can win, and we returned to finish the work that we were not able to finish. We have returned to start again and to unite the pro-independence supporters once again," Marta Rovira, Esquerra Republicana secretary general, said.

"Countries where democracy and human rights are followed, come and listen to us. We create relationships and we win. Today's return is a victory," she added from Cantallops in front of many pro-independence supporters.

Wagensberg also addressed the audience at their first stop after crossing the French-Spanish border.

"Being able to return home is an unbelievable experience, but let me have a word about those who have not yet been able to return, such as [former minister] Lluís Puig, who we bid farewell to before crossing the border. They are still in exile," he said.

After the speeches, Rovira and the rest returned to the roads. Rovira went to Vic to see their family, and the rest gathered around 1:30 p.m., at a large event planned in Barcelona's city center, just in front of the Òmnium civil society group building.

Welcomed by about a hundred supporters, family and friends, the pro-independence figures celebrated the "victory" their return represented.

The president of Òmnium, Xavier Antich, said that "a very important battle has been won", but warned that "it is not complete or final."

Journalist Jesús Rodríguez criticized the Spanish judiciary, stating that "it is very clear that Catalonia is living under a judicial dictatorship disguised as democracy."

Esquerra MP Ruben Wagensberg said it was "a joy" to be able to return to Barcelona, but admitted it was a "bittersweet" feeling because there are still other politicians in exile. 

Meanwhile, former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, one of the main faces of the independence push abroad, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the "return of those exiled prosecuted by the large judicial farce that has been the Tsunami Democràtic case puts an end to these injustices and means happy news for those families and for themselves."

"We are still very far from having a normal way of doing politics as a society," he added while hoping that those who returned today can recover the "lost years and months."

Sitting Catalan president Pere Aragonès also addressed the media on the occasion and used his words to express support for those leaders who will remain "in exile."

"Not all [pro-independence figures] have returned, as many are still in exile due to their political beliefs, such as [former] president Carles Puigdemont and former ministers Toni Comín and Lluis Puig. Therefore, it is necessary to put an end to this time of repression with the amnesty law. In any case, today is a day to celebrate, as justice is restored to many people," he said.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez, in Washington DC for a NATO summit, said that the return is a because of the amnesty law that "wants to recover the political discussion" of the independence push and leave judicial processes behind.

A similar message from presidency minister Félix Bolaños that he said that the return is "another proof" that "Catalonia's return to normality is unstoppable."

"The Catalonia that we are working on is a Catalonia in which everyone is welcome, and a new understanding and prosperous period has started, and this is what we are observing today in Catalonia," he said.

Jéssica Albiach, leader of the left-wing Sumar-Comuns coalition in the Catalan Parliament, said that the return is because of the "success" of the talks on independence and the amnesty.

"They have helped repair the injustice that the exile meant," she said.

On the other hand, Spanish far-right Vox leader in Catalonia, Ignacio Garriga, regretted that the pro-independence figures "freely" returned to the territory and blamed it on the Spanish PM because he claimed Sánchez is a "coward capable of treasoning against all Spaniards to continue, one more day, on his top spot," he said.

Those who returned were "cowards" that "fleed" to not face the consequences of their acts, he added.

How did we get here?

The different members include Esquerra Republicana leader Marta Rovira, who left Spain almost six years and four months ago on March, just on the same day that she was expected to testify in Spain's Supreme Court for her involvement in the organization of the 2017 independence referendum.

Back then, she moved to Switzerland as it was expected that she would have been charged with crimes of rebellion, which has not existed since the reform of the Penal Code in 2022. Since then, she has only faced disobedience, a crime for which the Supreme Court recently granted her amnesty.

Meanwhile, on Monday, part of the Tsunami Democràtic protest group case was dismissed due to a procedural error, benefiting both Marta Rovira and former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont.

Another pro-independence figure who benefited from the dismissal of the case was Esquerra MP Ruben Wagensberg, who was also charged with crimes of terrorism.

Wagensberg also left Spain around six months ago to install himself in Switzerland when his name appeared in Spain's National Court's investigation of the protest group that blocked the Barcelona airport and organized several demonstrations in 2019 after the ruling against several pro-independence politicians were sentenced to prison.

Traveling with Rovira and Wagensberg, there are also 'La Directa' journalist Jesús Rodríguez, activist Josep Campmajó, and Òmnium civil society group vice president Oleguer Serra, who all have been living in the country. Rovira for almost seven years, and the others since November 2023.

Wagensberg was investigated for, according to Judge Manuel García-Castellón from Spain's National Court, being behind the organization of protests such as the one in the airport. 

Meanwhile, Rodríguez was considered to be the organizer of the protests on the ground, and Serra for having a leadership position in the Tsunami Democràtic anonymous organization.

Campmajó was, according to the same judge, the mind behind the AP7 highway blockade in November 2019.

Why Puigdemont did not return?

Marta Rovira's judicial situation is different from that of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and former cabinet members Toni Comín and Lluís Puig.

Puigdemont's involvement in the Tsunami Democràtic case has also been shelved because the case was dismissed due to a procedural error; however, there is another case surrounding the former Catalan leader.

Rovira, who was granted an amnesty for the crimes of disobedience, is now free to return to Catalonia as there is no national arrest warrant in place, but not the same for Puigdemont, Comín, and Puig.

The Supreme Court has never tried these last for their involvement in the 2017 independence referendum, and that is why the Spanish judge Pablo Llarena decided to keep the arrest warrant in Spain for them—but not the European one—so they can freely travel around Europe.

They are all facing crimes of misuse of public funds or embezzlement, which, if proven to have been used for personal benefit, cannot be granted amnesty.

Puigdemont also has a case under investigation on a potential Russian plot. The amnesty has also been rejected for this case.

So far, 74 people have fully benefited from the amnesty law, and 50 of these are police officers, most from Spain's National Police. 

Initial estimates projected that between 400 and 1600 people would benefit from the law, a number still far from reality.