MADRID — A Spanish judge on Friday issued an international arrest warrant for the former leader of Catalonia, who refused to return to Spain from Belgium to appear before the national court.

Judge Carmen Lamela, who sits on Spain’s national court, is seeking the detention of the former leader, Carles Puigdemont, and four former members of his cabinet who left Catalonia for Brussels on Monday. The warrant was sent to Belgium’s public prosecutor.

Spain’s attorney general is seeking to prosecute Mr. Puigdemont and 19 other politicians on rebellion and other charges after they declared Catalonia’s independence from Spain last month. On Thursday, Judge Lamela ordered eight former members of the regional government jailed without bail, pending a full trial, after they appeared before her.

Belgium’s judiciary will have to decide whether to arrest Mr. Puigdemont and the four cabinet members and send them back to Spain to stand trial.