Former President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Jordi Pujol continues to recover after a sudden bout of pneumonia that led to his hospitalization at the Sagrada Familia Clinic in Barcelona. Doctors report positive progress, and if no complications arise, he could be discharged as early as Thursday. Despite his advanced age and frail health, his defense team is not currently considering postponing the upcoming trial.
The politician’s son, Oriol Pujol, said his father is feeling better and his fever has almost subsided, but he is still suffering from acute respiratory failure caused by the infection. Doctors insist on a full recovery before allowing the patient to leave the hospital. Now 95, Pujol remains physically vulnerable, and his emotional state is further affected by the upcoming court proceedings.
Next week, a high-profile trial is set to begin at the Audiencia Nacional, where Pujol and all seven of his children will stand in the dock. They are accused of receiving illegal commissions from businesspeople and holding large sums in accounts in Andorra. The prosecution is demanding a nine-year prison sentence for the former Catalan leader.
Attorney Cristóbal Martell insists that the current state of his client’s health must be taken into account. The court hearings could drag on for months, while Pujol’s physical and cognitive limitations raise concerns about his ability to participate in person. Last week, he was examined by court doctors, and their report has already been submitted to the court. However, no decision has yet been made regarding a possible exemption from personal attendance.
Elderly politician ready for trial but asks to consider his age
Pujol’s family emphasizes that he intends to take part in the proceedings to hear the arguments presented by the prosecution, which have been building up against him for more than a decade. However, the former president himself would prefer to follow the trial from Barcelona to avoid exhausting trips to Madrid over the one and a half months the hearings will last.
For now, the defense does not plan to petition for a postponement unless his health deteriorates. The final decision on the format of Pujol’s participation rests with the court. Despite his age and fatigue, he has no intention of evading responsibility and is prepared to provide explanations in a case that has become one of the most high-profile corruption scandals in modern Catalonian history.
