As relations between Madrid and Catalonia reach breaking point the Catalan leader declined to attend the Senate hearing which would have given him the opportunity to explain the recent actions of the semi-autonomous region.
Violence gripped the region as voters pushed to declare independence from the rest of Spain in the recent referendum.
The north east region of Spain held an independence referendum on October 1 which was declared to be illegal by Madrid, led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and backed by the Constitutional Court.
The vote at the start of the month though was met by a heavy-handed reaction by both the Guardia Civil and national police who were under orders to prevent the vote taking place.
Over a thousand potential voters were injured, as well as 33 police, as the security forces used batons and rubber bullets to disperse those trying to vote.
After the vote Mr Puigdemont appeared to declare independence and then immediately put it on hold in an attempt to hold talks with Madrid.
A stalemate situation has ensued as Mr Rajoy has attempted to clarify if independence was declared or not and now looks set to impose centralised control of the region by triggering Article 155 of the constitution – a move that the Catalan authorities have said they fully intend to resist.
Although it is not clear exactly how the central government will take over in practical terms, nor how Catalan authorities and police – Mossos – will react the government appeared to back a policy of civil disobedience.
Catalonia’s foreign affairs chief Raul Romeva told BBC radio recently: “It’s not that we will refuse [orders]. It is not a personal decision. It is a seven million-person decision.
“I have no doubt that all civil servants in Catalonia will keep following the instructions provided by the elected and legitimate institutions that we have right now in place [in Catalonia].”
Madrid has consistently rejected Mr Puigdemont’s calls for dialogue to resolve the situation, saying he first must withdraw an ambiguous declaration of independence made earlier this month.
A spokesman for the regional government said that Mr Puigdemont had declined on the grounds that Madrid had already announced its plans to impose direct control on the autonomous region.
The Senate is expected to give the green light for that on Friday morning.
It was still unclear if Mr Puigdemont would make a unilateral declaration of independence.
A spokeswoman for the Catalan government declined to clarify the situation when contacted by Express.co.uk.
One option for Mr Puigdemont could be to call snap regional elections, something a senior Catalan politician said on Tuesday was being considered.
He could still do this on Friday before the Senate strips him of his powers and imposes direct rule.
Some Spanish political and business leaders, along with most Catalan newspapers, have backed the idea as a snap election could forestall direct rule and help break the deadlock.
Calling an election could also either strengthen Mr Puigdemont’s mandate if pro-independence parties won, or allow him a graceful exit if they did not.
An opinion poll published by El Periodico on Sunday showed a snap election would probably have results similar to the last ballot, in 2015, when a coalition of pro-independence parties formed a minority government.
The actual steps to enforce direct rule could be taken gradually in order not to inflame the situation. Catalonia said on Monday it was confident its officials, including the police, would defy attempts by Madrid to take over institutions.