ARGELES-SUR-MER (France), May 8 — A Catalan separatist leader, running to regain the presidency of the restive Spanish region, is bussing supporters to his election rallies over the border in France because an arrest warrant prevents him from entering Spain.

Carles Puigdemont faces arrest in Spain over the crimes of misuse of public funds and disobedience for his role in Catalonia’s 2017 independence referendum, which had been banned by Spanish courts.