Catalonia ousted leader Puigdemont asks for ‘risk-free’ return to Spain

Catalonia’s ousted leader Carles Puigdemont asked Tuesday to return to Spain “without any risk” of being detained for his role in the independence drive. Madrid had warned he would not be let in “even in the boot of a car,” AFP reported. Puigdemont spoke from Copenhagen on his first trip from Belgium, where he is now staying in self-exile. “My intention in the coming days is to contribute to restoring democracy in order to respect election results,” he said. The politician was formally designated by the Catalan parliamentary speaker as the candidate to lead the region again. Parliamentary legal experts say Puigdemont must be physically present at the session, while Madrid has warned it will move to block any attempt by him to govern remotely.