A Spanish judge has lifted the extradition order on the former Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and four former cabinet members who fled to Belgium to avoid charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.
In a surprise move as campaigning officially began for this month’s Catalan election, supreme court judge Pablo Llarena withdrew European arrest warrants for the five, but national warrants still stand – meaning they would be likely to face arrest if they chose to return to Spain.
Puigdemont said after the supreme court decision he would stay in Belgium “for the moment”.
The reason is simple: they were going to lose, as (unlike Spain) Belgium requires actual violence rather than democratic voting for sedition and rebellion. And as he can't be jailed for "misuse of public funds" (AKA "spending money according to the commands of the Catalan Parliament on something Spain didn't like"), that would defeat the entire purpose of the exercise. This week Spain finally released six Catalan cabinet Ministers on bail - but only after they had promised to give up politics and not campaign for independence. Those who refused, including Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, are still in prison. Which makes it clear that they are being detained for their political views, not because of any threat to the public.
Meanwhile, in an ominous sign, Spain has refused to allow international observers to observe its forced elections. Which immediately suggests that they are going to try and fix them. They are already mounting a campaign of repression to prevent people campaigning for independence, including banning the colour yellow. If this continues, then it is unlikely the elections will meet international standards. But as we've already seen, the last thing Spain wants is for Catalans to have a free and fair vote to choose their future. Instead, that future will be dictated to them by Madrid. That's not democratic. But Spain surrendered any pretence of democracy when it sent riot police to beat and shoot people for voting.