By Horaci Garcia and Albert Gea

BARCELONA (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is once again the star of an army of clay figurines caught with their pants down and defecating, produced by Spanish craftsmen in keeping with a tradition from the country's north eastern Catalonia region.

The "caganer" (pooper) figures were originally designed as comical shepherds hidden among nativity scenes for sharp-eyed visitors to spot, but the tradition has expanded to include world leaders and celebrities who have dominated the headlines over the past year.

Sergi Alos, CEO of online store Caganer.com, said sales of United States presidential candidates pooping reflected the outcome of the country's recent vote.

"Trump has been massive, overwhelming, just like in the elections," he said.

Trump figurines also proved popular in 2016 when he won a first Presidential term, and in 2020 when he lost the election.

Joining Trump in this year's line up are statuettes of French President Emmanuel Macron, currently handling a government crisis, and the far-right leader Marine Le Pen who helped generate it. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and Argentina's Javier Milei also feature.