Italian Consulate, in BH, published a temporary decision this Wednesday morning (14)
The Italian Consulate in Belo Horizonte announced on Wednesday (14) that the auction of the Casa d'Itália property in Juiz de Fora is temporarily suspended. The event was scheduled for December 3rd and the listed value was R$ 21 million.
The announcement came after the senator and undersecretary of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ricardo Merlo, publish on Twitter on Tuesday (13) that the sale of the property had been suspended, after the Associação Ítalo Brasileira San Francesco di Paola, sponsor of Casa d'Itália, held a virtual manifesto.
Auction
At the beginning of October, two properties, valued at a total of R$21 million, were put up for auction by the Italian State. The measure was repudiated by the president of the institution, Paulo José Monteiro de Barros, and by the community of Italian descendants in the city.
There were two properties for sale: the structure that houses Casa d'Itália, a 3.309 m² property, valued at R$19,5 million, and a 245 m² space on Rua Henrique Surerus, which was separated from Casa d'Itália in past and today houses a mechanical workshop. This second property was valued at R$1,51 million.
The properties belong to the Italian State and, therefore, the decision to sell the property occurred through the representation of the consulate. However, the president of Casa D'Itália argues that the place belongs to the immigrant community of Juiz de Fora.
The Italian-Brazilian Association San Francesco di Paola, which maintains the Casa d'Itália, launched a petition against the auction of the property. In the document, the association asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome, Luigi di Maio, and the Undersecretary-General responsible for Latin America, Ricardo Merlo, to speak out in favor of the cause and suspend the auction.
In addition to the petition, Casa d'Itália gathered on social media videos of city residents, members of the Italian community, artists, historians, musicians and other personalities who spoke out against the auction and in solidarity with the Associação Ítalo Brasileira San Francesco di Paola.
On Tuesday (13), Italian senator Ricardo Melo announced on Twitter that the sale of Casa d'Itália had been suspended.
The message written by senator Ricardo Merlo means: “I officially confirm: we have just suspended the sale of Casa D'Italia in Juiz de Fora. An association that must remain for our Italian community in Brazil.”
Casa D'Itália
The land on Avenida Rio Branco was acquired in October 1933 by Italians who immigrated to Juiz de Fora. Construction began in 1936 and the inauguration took place on November 4, 1939. The property is listed by the Juiz de Fora City Hall.
“In 1933, immigrants bought this land to build a house that represented a little piece of Italy in Juiz de Fora. The building was built with their money. There is a clause that the place is for the exclusive use of Italians and their descendants, for education, culture, leisure, gastronomy, sport and even functioning as a hospital. The House was placed in the name of the Italian Government so that, in the future, no owner could sell it”, explained Paulo José Monteiro.
The site hosts several activities that celebrate Italian culture: the chapel of San Francesco di Paola; the consular agency, linked to the Italian Consulate in Belo Horizonte; Italian language course “Italian Culture”, Italian folk dance group Tarantolato, the pizza course at Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, among many other activities.
With information G1 Zona da Mata
