Brazil negotiates extradition of former Banco do Brasil director with Italy
Brazil’s Public Prosecution Service has sent two officials to Italy to deal with the extradition process of former Banco do Brasil director Henrique Pizzolato. The Italian government awaits Brazil’s official request so it can decide whether or not Pizzolato should leave the country and serve a sentence of 12 years and seven months in prison for corruption, handed out by the Brazilian Supreme Court. Pizzolato holds dual citizenship, and, according to Italian law, national citizens are not liable to extradition – but the ultimate decision is in the hands of the Italian government.
Now Brazil has 40 days officially to request Italy to extradite Pizzolato. Brazil’s Prosecution Service is still working on the translation of the documents before the process per se can be initiated. Last week, Minister Joaquim Barbosa, president of the Supreme Court, sent to the Ministry of Justice a preliminary extradition request, drafted by Vice-Attorney-General Ela Wiecko in December, after Pizzolato had arrived in Italy. Upon receiving all the necessary documents, the Ministry is able to issue the definitive request to the Italian government.
Eduardo Pellela, chief aide of the Attorney-General of the Republic, and Vladimir Aras, head of the International Cooperation Department of the Public Prosecution Service, are now in Rome in order to discuss Pizzolato’s extradition process with Italian authorities.
Henrique Pizzolato ran away to Italy in September, and was considered a fugitive as of November, when he was sentenced by the Brazilian Justice. Bearing a counterfeit passport with the name of his brother, who died in 1978, Pizzolato was arrested by the Italian police on Feb. 5, in Maranello.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Brazil negotiates extradition of former Banco do Brasil director with Italy
