Puigdemont from Brussels: “

From Brussels, dismissed Catalonia President Charles Puigdemont denies traveling for asylum.

He appeared in public in Brussels with several colleagues after declaring independence from Spain last week. Spain's central government has taken direct control of Catalonia and fired officials, following the region's banned independence referendum.

Puigdemont said he was not trying to escape justice, but he wanted to be able to speak freely.

At a press conference Tuesday (October 31st), Puigdemont said he would accept the outcome of Catalone's early elections in December, called by the central government of Spain when the region's autonomy is suspended.

He did not explain how long he would stay in Belgium, but said he would return as soon as he was given “garcian” by the Spanish government. He also added that the Spanish prosecutor's decision to accuse him and a number of other criminal cabinet members to hold up to 30 years in prison showed the extent of the central authorities' aggression.