UPDATE - Ex-Catalan President Puigdemont returns to Barcelona and escapes, avoiding arrest

UPDATES WITH DETAILS ON HIS ESCAPE, ARREST OF ACCUSED COLLABORATOR

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont on Thursday morning made his first public appearance in Barcelona since he fled Spain in 2017, speaking at a public rally.

Catalan police had orders to arrest him immediately, but Puigdemont managed to speak for several minutes outside of the Catalan parliament.

After the rally, he disappeared and presumably fled the city.

By Thursday afternoon, one Catalan police officer had been arrested for collaborating in his escape, according to Spanish media such as leading daily El Pais.

Authorities suspect the fugitive leader was able to slip away from the rally in the officer's car.

Police had been expecting Puigdemont to try to enter the Catalan parliament to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony of Socialist Salvador Illa, who is scheduled to officially form a government later on Thursday.

Since leading the failed 2017 independence push for Catalonia to break away from Spain, he has been wanted by the Spanish justice system.

“I’ve come here to remind you that we are still here. The right of self-determination belongs to the people – no one has the right to renounce the right of Catalonia to decide its future,” he said in a brief speech at the rally before being hurried offstage.

- Manhunt called off

Puigdemont ran for president in the Catalan regional elections last May. He won a seat, but the separatist forces lost their majority.

After Puigdemont's dramatic disappearance Thursday morning, police snarled traffic in Barcelona for 3 1/2 hours as they tried to hunt him down and detain him.

That operation has since been called off.

Before his dramatic appearance and escape, Puigdemont also managed to reach downtown Barcelona after crossing the border from France, despite heavy police deployment and his announcement that he was coming.

Earlier this year, the Spanish government passed an amnesty law which was set to clear the way for his return to Spain.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that the charge of embezzlement could not be forgiven, so an arrest warrant remains active.

“Today, many want to celebrate my arrest. They even celebrate disregarding the (amnesty) law passed by Spain’s parliament. This mistake will drag Spain’s credibility through the mud again,” he told supporters at the rally, adding: “I don’t know when we will see each other again.”