BRUSSELS — The latest on the Spain-Catalonia political crisis (all times local):

2:15 p.m.

Brussels prosecutors say that ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and four ex-ministers have been taken into custody to start the process of their possible extradition to Spain.

A spokesman for the Brussels prosecutor’s office, Gilles Dejemeppe, says the five presented themselves to federal police and have been in custody since 9 a.m. (0800 GMT; 3 a.m. EST). He said that they have not been arrested and that Puigdemont and the four ex-ministers will be heard by an investigative judge Sunday afternoon.

The judge will have to decide what the next steps are within 24 hours. They could vary from arrest and imprisonment to conditional release.

The five had fled to Belgium this week after being removed from power by Spanish authorities as part of an extraordinary crackdown to impede the region’s illegal declaration of independence.

Federal prosecutors in Belgium had said on Saturday that they were studying the warrants and that they had shared them with city counterparts in Brussels.

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2 p.m.

Belgian state broadcaster VRT says that Catalan ex-president Carles Puigdemont and four other former regional ministers have turned themselves in to police in Brussels.

VRT says that all five have arrived at the Brussels prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor is due to make a statement shortly about a European arrest warrant issued for Puigdemont and the other four as Spain seeks their return for an investigation related to Catalonia’s independence bid.

They had fled to Belgium this week after being removed from power by Spanish authorities as part of an extraordinary crackdown to impede the region’s illegal declaration of independence.

Federal prosecutors in Belgium had said on Saturday that they were studying the warrants and that they had shared them with city counterparts in Brussels.

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12:30 p.m.

The Brussels prosecutor has announced he will make a statement at 2 p.m. (1300 GMT; 8 a.m. EST) about the European arrest warrant and the situation of ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four other ex-officials.

The announcement came as rumors were swirling that Puigdemont and his four allies were about to be arrested.

Puigdemont and four of his ex-ministers fled to Belgium this week after being removed from power by Spanish authorities as part of an extraordinary crackdown to impede the region’s illegal declaration of independence.

Federal prosecutors in Belgium had said on Saturday that they were studying the warrants and that they had shared them with city counterparts in Brussels.

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11:45 a.m.

Catalans in favor of seceding from Spain are gathering to put up posters for independence and to demand the release of jailed separatist leaders in towns across northeastern Spain.

The leading pro-secession grassroots group, Catalan National Assembly (ANC), organized the poster rally. It offered downloadable posters for people to print out and use to plaster on walls and windows.

The same group has also called for a strike on Wednesday and a public protest on Saturday. The group has organized rallies of several hundred thousands of secessionist supporters in recent years.

Agusti Alcoberro, the vice president of ANC, says that he “hopes that everyone participates” in the upcoming rallies.

Alcoberro also said that his group is considering organizing a rally in Brussels on Dec. 6.

The president of ANC, Jordi Sanchez, was ordered to jail without bail along with another leader of a separatist group for leading a protest that ended up trashing police vehicles and impeding officers from exiting a building they were searching in September.

Eight lawmakers have also been jailed for pushing through an illegal declaration of independence.

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10:15 a.m.

Belgian state prosecutors are examining international arrest warrants issued by Spain for the ousted leader of Catalonia and other members of his disbanded Cabinet.

Carles Puigdemont and four of his ex-ministers fled to Belgium this week after being removed from power by Spanish authorities as part of an extraordinary crackdown to impede the region’s illegal declaration of independence.

Federal prosecutors in Belgium said on Saturday that they were studying the warrants and that they had shared them with city counterparts in Brussels.

A Spanish National Court judge issued warrants for the five separatist politicians on suspicion of rebellion, rebellion and embezzlement on Friday, a day after the same judge sent another eight former Catalan Cabinet members to jail without bail while her investigation continues.

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#brussels#Carles Puigdemont#catalan independence#mariano rajoy#spain#spanish politics