Overview
- An Italian state aircraft brought Trentini and Burlò to Ciampino around 8:45 a.m., where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani greeted them.
- Both men are said to be in acceptable condition after more than a year in custody, with Trentini telling reporters they were not tortured and asking for a cigarette upon arrival at the embassy.
- Trentini, 46, was detained for about 423 days in El Rodeo I without formal charges after his November 15, 2024 arrest during a Humanity & Inclusion mission; Burlò, a Turin entrepreneur, had been held for roughly 14 months.
- Tajani said he was notified Sunday evening by his Venezuelan counterpart, crediting a coordinated effort by the Farnesina, Palazzo Chigi, intelligence services, Vatican channels and U.S. contacts.
- Italy links the releases to a broader program under interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, with Rome signaling a thaw in relations and officials noting other dual nationals’ cases still require attention.