
After the case of Cecilia Sala, the case of 6 Italians detained without reason in Maduro’s prisons in Venezuela remains open
Rome, January 23rd, 2025 – After the case of Cecilia Sala, the case of the 6 Italians detained without reason in Maduro’s prisons in Venezuela remains open.
The latest is the case of Alberto Trentini, an Italian aid worker arrested in Venezuela, which unfortunately does not remain an isolated episode. With him, in fact, there are also 5 other compatriots still detained by the regime of Nicolás Maduro, including Americo De Grazia, former Calabrian deputy, Biagio Pilieri, Sicilian journalist and political leader, Daniel Echenagucia Vallenilla and Margarita Assenza.
Marinellys Tremamunno, an Italian-Venezuelan journalist and president of the Association “Venezuela: la piccola Venezia” APS, revealed this:
“We still need one name, but we have confirmed the others by speaking with their relatives in Venezuela, because it was impossible to get certain information through the Italian authorities“.
The Farnesina evaded her questions as a journalist, specifying that there are still six Italians arrested: just last year, Minister Antonio Tajani had informed Parliament that initially there were nine Italians detained and three were later released (Vicente Scarano, Rita Capriti and Juan Manuel Allueva).
Tremamunno then reiterated that, pursuant to Article 3 of our Constitution, “citizens with dual citizenship are Italians in all respects, with equal dignity and rights“, so “the fact that they also have Venezuelan citizenship does not make them less Italian;
therefore we appeal to the Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni, and in particular to Minister Tajani, to also fight for the liberation of Americo, Biagio, Daniel and Margarita. Because they are not numbers, but people with a name and surname“, declared the journalist, underlining that for several months their relatives have not been able to see their loved ones, not even to understand their health conditions.
Requests to the Italian Government
Since July 28th, the Venezuelan regime has launched a brutal campaign of
repression, with over 2,400 arbitrary arrests.
According to the NGO Foro Penal Venezolano, as of January 15th, 1,687 political prisoners are still being held, among them there are more than 150 people with dual citizenship.
“Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, publishing a post on social media or sending a critical message is enough to end up in prison,” Tremamunno explained.
The same fate has befallen Trentini and the rest of the Italians. Some are in the Helicoide, the detention center known as the largest
torture center in Latin America. This is the case of Americo De Grazia and Biagio Pilieri, two leading figures in the fight for human and political rights in Venezuela.
The families and the Association “Venezuela: la piccola Venezia” (Venezuela: Little Venice) are calling for more incisive intervention by the Italian Government to obtain proof of life for all Italians through a consular visit, their immediate release and safe return to Italy.
It also calls for a clear stance against discrimination against citizens with dual citizenship, so that they are guaranteed full protection by the Italian State.
Furthermore, Tremamunno explained that the arrest of foreign citizens in Venezuela is part of a strategy that aims to obtain diplomatic recognition in exchange for the release of political prisoners, considering that the Meloni government has been very politically exposed against the regime.
Despite this, “we cannot allow the case of the other five Italians to be passed over in silence to avoid negotiations with Nicolas Maduro“, Tremamunno pointed out.
“The Italian government has the duty to protect the rights of all its citizens, without any discrimination. Once safe in Italy, we will be able to continue to carry out political opposition, but without putting the lives of our fellow countrymen at risk“.