Brazilians of Italian descent who lived under the military dictatorship between 1964 and 1985 may benefit from a proposal included in the opinion on the new Italian citizenship decree. The document was approved by the Foreign Relations Committee of the Italian Senate on Tuesday, the 15th, and recommends the creation of easier pathways for the recognition of citizenship for families affected by authoritarian regimes.
The suggestion was presented by the senator Robert Menia (FdI), rapporteur of the text. He proposes that access to citizenship be simplified for descendants of Italian citizens or former citizens who live in countries that have undergone dictatorships.
Although the opinion does not mention specific countries, the observation can be understood as a gesture of repair and reception, aimed at communities in Latin American countries (such as Brazil, Argentina, Cuba and Chile), Eastern Europe or Africa, where dictatorial regimes — mainly between the 1930s and 1980s — impacted mobility, civil rights and the possibilities of maintaining their original citizenship by Italian immigrants and their descendants.
The Brazilian military dictatorship was an authoritarian and nationalist regime established on April 1, 1964. Led by successive military governments, it lasted until March 15, 1985, and was characterized by political repression, censorship, and restrictions on freedom of expression. Many families of Italian origin faced legal obstacles during this period in maintaining or regaining their Italian citizenship.
Menia's proposal considers that historical contexts like this must be taken into account in legislation.
According to the opinion, the aim is to prevent heirs of Italian origin from being excluded by rigid bureaucratic criteria: “…that facilitated pathways be provided for integration into the national community in favor of descendants of Italian citizens or former citizens residing in countries that were victims of dictatorial regimes, including in the sense of facilitated acquisition of citizenship”, says the text.
In practice, it is suggested to create easy routes — simplified and less bureaucratic procedures — for the recognition of citizenship.
Among the possible benefits for this group, if the proposal is incorporated into the final decree, are:
- Reduction of required documentation;
- Faster processes with fewer steps;
- Flexibility of residency criteria;
- Recognition of the involuntary loss of citizenship due to political or legal impositions.
The opinion will still be analyzed by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, which may accept or modify the suggested observations.
