Spain’s Supreme Court has upheld arrest warrants for a former Catalan leader and others accused of a failed secession bid and embezzlement, ruling that the recently passed Amnesty Law does not apply to them.
The decision, which can be appealed, could destroy Spain’s fragile ruling Socialist-led coalition and have personal implications for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who lives in self-imposed exile in France.
The amnesty law was passed on May 30th and was supposed to pardon those involved in the 2017 attempt to declare Catalonia’s independence from Madrid in exchange for separatist parties’ support for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s new term after the last general election.
Investigating judge Pablo LJarena said in his order that he would continue to seek the arrest of Puigdemont and his former deputies Antonio Comino and Luis Puig, who were in charge of health and culture in Catalonia.
Withdrawal of support from Puigdemont’s Junts party for bills such as the 2025 budget could leave Sanchez unable to govern until new elections.
Politicians and activists involved in the independence movement have faced accusations including disruption of public order, insubordination and embezzlement.
Two exceptions are made for embezzlement, so the amnesty does not apply to those who committed the crime with the intention of personal enrichment or if it affected the financial interests of the European Union (EU).
E.Dz.
Photo: El eurodiputado de Junts Carles Puigdemont
