The former Catalan culture minister Lluís Puig returned to Catalonia on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, after almost nine years in exile. The Agència Catalana de Notícies confirmed in the morning that he had crossed the border. Since autumn 2017, Puig had been living first in Belgium and later in Perpignan .
The immediate reason for his return is a decision by investigating judge Pablo Llarena at the Supreme Court, who has suspended the arrest warrants in force in Spain against Carles Puigdemont, Toni Comín and Lluís Puig. Llarena cited recent Constitutional Court case law on applying the amnesty to allegations of misappropriation of public funds. He also made clear that the final decision on applying the amnesty comprehensively remains with the relevant chamber of the Supreme Court. The suspension removes the risk of arrest on entering Spain.
Puig briefly served as culture minister in Carles Puigdemont’s 2017 cabinet. The criminal proceedings against him began on suspicion of rebellion and were later narrowed to suspected misappropriation of public funds. The cases formally remain pending until the Supreme Court applies the amnesty in each individual case or rules otherwise.
Toni Comín is expected to return to Spain on Thursday, 22 October 2026, according to consistent reports by several Spanish media outlets. Llarena has said that Carles Puigdemont can also enter Spain without risking arrest. No precise date for his return was initially given.
The decisions form part of a series of legal steps since early October, in which the Constitutional Court has clarified the parameters for discontinuing certain charges as a result of the amnesty. Procedural adjustments followed at the Supreme Court, and these are now having practical effects. The return of prominent Procés figures is likely to revive debate in Barcelona and Madrid about the scope and limits of the amnesty, as well as how the judiciary and parliament should handle outstanding cases. Supporters see this as a step towards normalising political life in Catalonia, while critics warn of interference with judicial independence.
The information in this report is based on consistent accounts from elDiario.es, the Agència Catalana de Notícies, EFE and RTVE, which report the suspension of the national arrest warrants and Puig’s return on 21 October 2026.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).