the federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP) would be taking refuge in the Veneto region, in northern Italy, according to Italian MP Angelo Bonelli (Green Europe). The information was given to CNN this Thursday, the 5th, based on sources linked to the country's intelligence services.
Bonelli stated that Zambelli landed this morning at Fiumicino airport in Rome. Although the Italian police claim to be unaware of the Brazilian congresswoman's whereabouts, the secret service is said to know her location. "The confidential information I have is that she is in the Veneto region," he stated.
The deputy fears, however, that the political alignment between Zambelli and Matteo Salvini's League party could prevent the extradition. "This may not happen due to her political relationship with Matteo Salvini's party, which controls the Interior Ministry and is a party friendly to the Bolsonaro family," he said.
Salvini is deputy prime minister and leader of the League, which makes up Italy's governing coalition.
Bonelli also recalled that this year the Italian government refused to extradite a Libyan police officer wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. “It is possible that this will happen to her,” he added.
Although Zambelli holds dual Italian-Brazilian citizenship, Italian law allows for the extradition of Italian citizens. Previous cases suggest that this is a real possibility. In 2008, Italy extradited banker Salvatore Cacciola to Brazil. In 2015, former Banco do Brasil director Henrique Pizzolato was also returned to the country after fleeing to Italy in 2013.
The extradition treaty between Brazil and Italy, signed in 1989, remains in force. The only way for Zambelli to avoid extradition would be a political decision by the Italian government not to comply with a possible court order, a hypothesis that is still uncertain.
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