A 74-year-old fugitive, Leonardo Bertulazzi, who was a member of Italy's far-left Red Brigades and was under house arrest in Argentina, has successfully escaped by utilizing a rope and harness to descend from a fifth-floor apartment. This daring escape, which occurred on Tuesday and was still ongoing as of Wednesday, according to Argentine police officials speaking to The Associated Press news agency, has prompted a nationwide search for the former Red Brigades member.
Bertulazzi is wanted in Italy for his role in the kidnapping and death of a former Italian prime minister by the left-wing armed group. His refugee status in Argentina was revoked under President Javier Milei's right-wing administration. In order to evade authorities, Bertulazzi reportedly descended onto the second-floor terrace of a neighboring house, climbed down to a first-floor terrace, crossed a vacant lot, and got onto the street by scaling over a gate. His escape went unnoticed for some time as he had tampered with his electronic ankle monitor.
Argentina's Security Ministry has announced a reward of 20 million pesos (approximately $13,000) for information leading to Bertulazzi's capture. 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". Bertulazzi is alleged to have been involved in the logistics of the kidnapping of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro. Italian courts convicted him in the 1980s of "terrorism-related" crimes, resulting in a combined 27-year sentence.
Wanda Ferro, an undersecretary in Italy's Interior Ministry, stated that Argentine police are responsible for ensuring Bertulazzi's extradition to Italy. Ferro expressed confidence that every effort will be made to apprehend him and hoped for a quick extradition process if he is recaptured.