Venezuela frees Alberto Trentini after 423 days in detention

Brussels – Italy woke up today (12 January) to some welcome news that had been eagerly awaited in recent days. The Venezuelan government released Alberto Trentini, the aid worker from Venice, and Turin businessman Mario Burlò, who had been detained in Caracas for over a year.  Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the news at dawn. The two are already on their way to Italy.

 “I spoke with our two compatriots, who are in good condition,” the Deputy Prime Minister announced, emphasising that “their release is a strong signal from President (Delcy, ed.) Rodriguez, which the Italian government greatly appreciates.” In a statement, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed “with joy and satisfaction” the release of Trentini and Burlò, and expressed “heartfelt thanks to the authorities in Caracas, starting with President Rodriguez, for the constructive cooperation shown in recent days, and to all the institutions and individuals in Italy who have worked with commitment and discretion to achieve this important result.” 

Ten days after the US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the detention of the two Italians has come to an end. Trentini was arrested on 15 November 2024, just three weeks after his arrival in the country to work with the NGO Humanity & Inclusion, which provides humanitarian assistance to people with disabilities. Burlò, who was at the centre of several trials in Italy for tax and financial offences, was arrested at the same time. Neither of them was able to communicate with their families for several months, and the charges against them were never made public. 

The turnaround is part of a broader decision by the new president, Delcy Rodriguez,  Maduro’s former second-in-command, to release hundreds of foreign political prisoners from Venezuelan prisons as a sign of willingness to cooperate with Western countries. Two Italian citizens, Biagio Pilieri and Luigi Gasperin, had already been released in recent days. As for Trentini and Burlò, several accounts have linked their detention to an attempt by Maduro’s regime to put pressure on the Italian government over the case of former Venezuelan Energy and Petroleum Minister Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreño, a political refugee in Italy.

Ramirez was one of the most feared opponents of Maduro’s government, Hugo Chavez’s right-hand man, and privy to the socialist regime’s secrets. In October 2020, when he was already in Italy with his family, Caracas formally requested his extradition from Rome, accusing him of several crimes, including embezzlement and money laundering. Although the green light had been given for extradition, the procedure was blocked because Ramirez obtained refugee status very quickly. In September 2024, Roman judges dismissed all charges against him, sparking Maduro’s anger. A few weeks later, Trentini and Burlò were arrested.