The mayor of Pedras Grandes, Agnaldo Filippi (PP), announced that he will propose breaking the friendship pact with the city of Belluno, in Italy.
The bill will be sent to the City Council and could be voted on next week.
The decision was announced in an interview with Radio Marconi, in Urussanga, as a form of protest against... Decree-Law number 36/2025The measure, approved by the Italian Council of Ministers, limits access to Italian citizenship by descent, generating criticism among descendants in Brazil.
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“I think we were slapped in the face by Italy with the approval of the decree-law. This is the decree of shame, Tajani's decree, from the council of ministers,” stated Filippi. According to the mayor, the reaction from entities and associations has been insufficient. “Our demonstration has been merely rhetorical, without, let's say, fully explaining what we think in Italy.”
The Chief Executive said that the proposal to break the pact will be sent to Belluno if it is approved by the local legislature. "I want to believe that their behavior will prompt us to be a little more assertive, not just in words. We are against this absurdity, this disgrace that was processed and approved there."
Filippi stressed that the protest is not against Belluno or its inhabitants, but against the Italian government. "It's not about Belluno, it's not about the people. It's about Italy."
According to him, the break is a form of concrete action in response to the measure approved by the Italian government. "We need to do something from a practical point of view, something that is in our hands, that is within our reach."
The mayor also criticized what he called the lack of recognition of the history of Italian immigration in Brazil. “The Europeans who came here a long time ago built a history here that we would simply like Italians to know, so that it can be respected. It is not known, they have no interest in knowing it, therefore they do not respect this history.”
Filippi further stated that the decree was approved hastily and without dialogue. "The way this law was reformed was very radical and extremely aggressive, making it very clear that they don't know our history and don't respect it."
During the interview, the mayor emphasized that the impact of the measure is symbolic. "Something that has already made its mark and will remain indelibly is the approval. Even if this is reversed, the slap in the face has already been delivered."
He also lamented the lack of a statement from the Italian authorities. "No official statement, at least to my knowledge, saying 'look, something needs to be done to slow down this insane rush for passports,' great, no problem at all."
Regarding the 150th anniversary of Italian immigration to southern Santa Catarina, the mayor said he intends to make a public statement. “It will have to happen in Azambuja because the history, over time, has also been told falsely in this region. The first colony of Italian immigrants is Azambuja. It's not the biggest, it's not the best, it's not the worst, but it's the first.”
According to Filippi, if the event takes place, it will have to be approved by the municipality. "In my understanding, it shouldn't happen because we have absolutely nothing to celebrate. It has to happen in Azambuja, and then it will have to pass our scrutiny, without a doubt."
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