BRUSSELS �� Ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont surrendered voluntarily to Belgian police Sunday in a new twist that brings to 15 the number of political figures who are being detained and could energize the movement by Catalonia to secede from Spain.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy invoked constitutional powers last month to reassert his authority over Catalonia and fire Puigdemont and his government. Since then, eight politicians and two activists have been jailed pending trial in Spain, and five others, including Puigdemont, are being held in Belgium, where he's trying to run a government in exile.
The Belgian judge has until 9:17 a.m. Monday to decide whether to keep Puigdemont and four former officials from his government in custody after their surrender to police in Brussels triggered a 24-hour deadline, said Gilles Dejemeppe, a spokesman for the Brussels prosecutor office. A Spanish judge issued an arrest warrant for them on Friday.
"In the presence of their lawyers, they have been officially informed about the arrest warrants against them," Dejemeppe, said at a news conference.
Activists in Barcelona were left rudderless and divided when Puigdemont bolted after his ouster. Rajoy called elections for Dec. 21. But the spectacle of the jailed leaders has also reinvigorated the movement and thrust the constitutional crisis into the international spotlight.
At its home soccer match Saturday against Seville, FC Barcelona unveiled a giant Catalan flag and banners saying "Justice" to voice its opposition to the jailing of the ousted regional officials.
An opinion poll published Saturday by La Vanguardia newspaper shows the December election Rajoy called is too close to call, with projections for a near even split of seats for pro-independence and non-separatist parties.
National Court Judge Carmen Lamela, who issued the arrest order, wrote in her ruling that the separatists promoted "violent force" and incited "insurrection."
Under European arrest-warrant procedures, individuals are detained and brought before judges within 24 hours. A court then has 15 days to decide whether to execute the order, according to the Belgian Justice Ministry. Including time for possible appeals, a final decision must be made within three months. Puigdemont would then have to be surrendered to Spain within 10 days.
Puigdemont's decision to turn himself in comes as the pro-independence parties explore their options for fighting the elections in December.
His PDeCAT party put his name forward as its candidate to lead a united platform for the vote, Marta Pascal, its general coordinator, said Sunday.
However, El Pais newspaper reported that ERC, the biggest separatist party, would accept a single platform only if it also includes the Catalunya en Comu party of Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau. Catalunya en Comu said Sunday it would try to contest the elections in coalition with the Catalan platform of the Podemos party.
Puigdemont remained defiant as he made his preparations to surrender to police in Belgium.
"I won't flee justice; I'm willing to submit to justice, but to real justice," the ousted leader said Friday. He said the Spanish courts "can't guarantee a fair and independent sentence that will be free of the enormous weight and influence of politics."
����
(Penty reported from Madrid.)
