Brazil Federal Police seek Cesare Battisti, regarded as fugitive

Italian activist Cesare Battisti, 64, is now regarded as a fugitive and is being sought across Brazil. The Federal Police released the main disguise possibilities that could be taken up by the Italian national, targeted by an arrest order issued by Brazil’s Supreme Court.

His extradition comes after a number of requests by the Italian government, and was signed by President Michel Temer on Friday (Dec. 14), one day after his arrest was ordered.

Battisti was sentenced to spend life in prison in Italy over four homicides committed in the 1970s, when he was a member of the Armed Proletarians for Communism.

While waiting for the imprisonment and the extradition of Battisti, the Italian government sent to Brazil a military aircraft to take him back to Italy. The plane is in the International Airport of Guarulhos, in São Paulo.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella sent a letter to Temer thanking him for the decision.

“Mr. President, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for your decision concerning the case of Italian citizen Cesare Battisti, convicted definitively by Italian authorities for most serious crimes, who evaded the execution of the respective sentences,” the missive reads.