The family of Alberto Trentini, an Italian NGO worker arrested by Venezuelan authorities on November 15, has called on the Italian government to take urgent diplomatic action for his release.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the family and attorney Alessandra Ballerini urged the government to “open a constructive dialogue” with Venezuelan authorities to secure Trentini’s release and ensure his safety.
Trentini, a young man from Venice, had travelled to Venezuela on October 17 as part of a mission with Humanity and Inclusion, a French-based international NGO. The family reported that they have not heard from him since his arrest at a roadblock while travelling from Caracas to Guasdalito.
Informal reports suggest authorities transferred Trentini to Caracas a few days after his arrest. They believe he is still there. Trentino’s family says he has not been formally charged, and his whereabouts remain unclear.
Trentini’s health condition has raised additional concerns for his well-being while in custody. The family has expressed distress over the lack of communication and information regarding his condition, calling on the Italian government to use all diplomatic resources to ensure his return home.
The situation has escalated tensions between Italy and Venezuela. On Wednesday, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that he had summoned Venezuela’s chargé d’affaires to protest the lack of information regarding Trentini’s detention. He also addressed the expulsion of three Italian diplomats from Caracas, stating that Italy would continue to demand that Venezuela respect international laws and the democratic will of its people.
Tajani condemned the lack of clarity surrounding Trentini’s arrest and detention. He stressed the Italian government would continue to work to ensure the safety and release of the NGO worker.
This follows the recent release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from detention in Iran.
Venezuela reduces number of accredited Italian diplomats
In a further development, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had reduced the number of diplomats accredited at the French, Italian, and Dutch embassies, citing the “hostile” stance of their governments towards President Nicolás Maduro’s third-term installation.
The decision also restricts diplomats’ movements, requiring “written authorisation” to travel more than 40 kilometres from central Caracas.
