Socialist politician Salvador Illa was inaugurated as president of the Catalan regional government in a ceremony in the government palace in Barcelona on Saturday. “By taking office today, I am also inheriting the hopes of the Catalan people,” said the 61-year-old, who made a name for himself as Spain’s health minister during the coronavirus pandemic. The inauguration came just two days after Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who is facing an arrest warrant, gave a speech in central Barcelona. He then fled, despite a heavy police presence. On Friday Puigdemont posted on X that he wa…