Spain issues new arrest warrant for former Catalonia president

In a statement, the Supreme Court announced that Judge Pablo Larrena, who had withdrawn a European and international arrest warrant for rebellion against Puigdemont and in the inability to implement it by European partners, issued a new order for criminal acts of rebellion and misuse of public funds.

The main actor of the attempted autonomy of 2017, Puigdemont, had fled to Belgium to escape prosecution.

The head of the Spanish Socialist government, Pedro Sanchez, today called for a new era in Catalonia based on dialogue, following the condemnation of Catalan hopefuls for their role in the autonomy effort in 2017.

“Already that the decision of justice is given, a new stage opens, whose goal will only be the restoration of coexistence in Catalonia”, Sanchez said in a televised speech.

The prime minister stressed at the country's Catalan independent government that his executive was willing to contribute for dialogue within constitutional legitimacy.

Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan hopefuls, among whom former regional vice president Oriol Junqueras, to sentences of nine to 13 years in prison.

Three others were sentenced to fines. / A T S/