The defense of Carles Puigdemont, Gonzalo Boye, assumes that there will be a detention of the ‘former president’ upon his eventual return. Within the legal environment surrounding the leader of Junts, they are preparing for all possible scenarios: “We are ready,” the lawyer stated in an interview on Catalunya Ràdio this Sunday.
The intention of the ‘former president’ is to return when a confidence debate is held, a situation that could occur in the coming days if PSC-ERC reach an agreement that supports the republican bases. All of this would accelerate Puigdemont’s return, who is still weighed down by a national arrest warrant for the crime of rebellion and embezzlement in the context of 1-O. The Supreme Court denied amnesty after he promised his return, and the same amnesty law is now in the Constitutional Court, after the Supreme Court raised a question of unconstitutionality, considering it violates the right to equality.
The details of his return are unclear for either party. It is uncertain how the ‘former president’ will return – EL PERIÓDICO revealed that the independence movement is preparing a mass mobilization to support him – and there are also doubts about who will carry out his arrest. “Spanish patriots are elbowing each other to see who [will arrest him],” Boye stated.
The President of the Parliament, Josep Rull, has already asserted that as long as he is in charge of the Catalan Chamber, “no police will enter to arrest or detain anyone”, and for that reason, he tasked the Parliament’s Secretary General with reviewing whether the law prohibits an arrest within the institution. “I would consider it another attack on democracy,” the lawyer stated regarding a possible arrest within the Parliament.
Regarding the legal situation of the ‘former president’, Boye emphasized that the current arrest warrant for Puigdemont “has not been requested by any party” and that it is subject to a situation of legal breaches, referring to the fact that the amnesty law has not been applied to Puigdemont. “There are many breaches for someone to feel justified to act based on that arrest warrant.” In his opinion, this warrant is issued, textually, without being requested by anyone and violating an active law: “Are we really obligated to comply with an order that lacks a legal mandate?” Boye questioned.
The defense has denied that the Mossos have contacted Puigdemont’s circle and stated that, although they are considering “all possible scenarios,” they do not want to disclose them to “not give clues” to the “other party.” Regarding the application of the grace measure to the ‘former president,’ Boye expressed confidence: “Sooner rather than later, reason will prevail,” he concluded.
