A new scandal involving the recognition of Italian citizenship “ius sanguinis” — through descent — is shaking Italian diplomatic structures and raising questions about the integrity of consular processes in South America.
According to an extensive report by Il Tempo this Saturday (11.05.24), the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Farnesina, urgently summoned the Consul General of Caracas, Nicola Occhipinti, after an investigation revealed serious irregularities in the issuance of Italian passports and citizenships.
According to the Italian newspaper, he leaves this Sunday for Italy, on a one-way trip, “signaling the need for additional clarification”.
The main objective of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to guarantee the adequate management of administrative and consular processes, especially with regard to the regularity of procedures related to the recognition of Italian citizenships.
This concern was highlighted by Fratelli d'Italia party deputy Andrea Di Giuseppe in a complaint made on January 9th.
The investigations, carried out in collaboration with the Police, Carabinieri and Finance Guard, aim to clarify the circumstances that led to the rapid and possibly irregular granting of Italian citizenship by descent.
The alarming increase in the number of documents issued, around seven thousand in the first four months of the year alone, highlights the seriousness of the problem.
In an interview with Ansa in March 2023, Occhipinti described the operation of the consulate Venezuelan in a complimentary way: he considered it “one of the most efficient consulates in the world”, highlighting its “exceptional productivity”.
All appointments are made via email, with responses guaranteed within 24 hours. Furthermore, he emphasized that the renewal of the passport in Caracas it is completed in just three days, while in remote areas of the country the process is completed in 15 days, without the need to travel to the capital.
Research in Brazil
While the initial focus is on Venezuela, Ministry of Foreign Affairs inspectors are also directing their attention to other Latin American countries, including Uruguay, Argentina and, especially, Brazil.
The latter country is under particular scrutiny given recent revelations about irregularities in the granting of Italian citizenship.
This is not the first scandal involving the recognition of Italian citizenship in Brazil. In 2017, the discovery that more than three hundred Brazilians, including prominent football players, obtained Italian citizenship without meeting adequate legal requirements, it generated outrage and questions about the integrity of the citizenship granting system.
In recent days, the Deputy Consul in São Paulo, Livia Satullo, revealed ambitious plans to expand the Italian Consulate General in the city, making it the largest in the world in terms of resident Italian population.
However, the impressive passport issuance record and the magnitude of the challenge raise concerns about the consulate's ability to maintain adequate standards of control and verification.
Extensive report in Il Tempo:
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