A former member of Italy's notorious far-left Red Brigades, Leonardo Bertulazzi, has eluded authorities after escaping from house arrest in Argentina. The 74-year-old, who is wanted for his involvement in the kidnapping and death of a former Italian Prime Minister, reportedly used a harness and rope to descend from a fifth-floor apartment on Tuesday. Argentine police are conducting a widespread search for Bertulazzi, who faces extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence. His refugee status in Argentina was revoked by President Javier Milei due to his past convictions and the country's Supreme Court approved his extradition last year.
Bertulazzi, a member of the Red Brigades' Genoa branch, is alleged to have played a role in the logistics of the kidnapping of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro, who was killed by the group in 1978. He was initially arrested in Buenos Aires in 2002 but was not extradited to Italy due to Italian law not guaranteeing him a new trial after a conviction in absentia. Bertulazzi was granted refugee status in 2004, but this was revoked in 2024 under Milei's presidency, and he was re-arrested in August of the same year.
Argentina's Security Ministry has offered a reward of 20 million pesos (approximately $13,000) for information leading to Bertulazzi's capture. Wanda Ferro, an undersecretary in Italy's Interior Ministry, expressed confidence that Argentine police would ensure his extradition if he is recaptured and expressed hope for a swift extradition process. The Red Brigades were responsible for a wave of kidnappings and killings in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s, a period known as the "Years of Lead."