Politics1 min read

Former Italian Red Brigades member escapes house arrest in Argentina

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Leonardo Bertulazzi slipped away from his fifth-floor detention site using climbing gear and tricked his ankle monitor with thermal materials to delay discovery. The evasion directly stalls a Supreme Court-approved extradition process to Italy for his role in deadly far-left militant operations during the 1970s and 1980s. To accelerate his recapture, Argentina's Security Ministry has announced a multimillion-peso reward for actionable tips. Italian officials maintain that local police must locate the fugitive so the long-delayed handover can finally take place.

Key points

  • The escape stalls an approved extradition to Italy where Bertulazzi faces a 27-year sente…: The escape stalls an approved extradition to Italy where Bertulazzi faces a 27-year sentence for terrorism-related crimes.
  • The fugitive lost his long-held refugee protections in 2024 following an official revocat…: The fugitive lost his long-held refugee protections in 2024 following an official revocation by the administration of President Javier Milei.
  • Italian government officials have reaffirmed that Argentine law enforcement remains stric…: Italian government officials have reaffirmed that Argentine law enforcement remains strictly responsible for recapturing and handing over the militant.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Bertulazzi used a rope and harness to climb down from a fifth-floor apartment and evade authorities in Argentina.

A 74-year-old former member of Italy’s far-left Red Brigades has escaped from house arrest in Argentina by climbing down from a fifth-floor apartment using a harness and rope, prompting a nationwide search.

Leonardo Bertulazzi, who faces extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence, escaped on Tuesday and was still on the run on Wednesday, Argentine police officials told The Associated Press news agency.

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Bertulazzi was convicted in absentia by a court in his home country for his role in the kidnapping and death of a former Italian prime minister by the left-wing armed group, and his refugee status in Argentina was revoked under right-wing President Javier Milei.

Police said he descended onto the second-floor…

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