Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome, headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: social media
Guacamaya, July 28, 2025. The Italian government has decided to intensify its monitoring of cases involving nationals detained in Venezuela by appointing a special envoy who will be responsible for coordinating diplomatic efforts.
The measure, announced this Sunday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, comes in response to Rome’s concerns over several unresolved cases. Luigi Vignali, current Director-General for Italians Abroad, will take on the mission after being appointed by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Among the most notable cases is that of Alberto Trentini, a member of a non-governmental organization, who was detained six months ago under circumstances that remain unclear. The Italian Foreign Ministry also warned that there are other citizens in similar situations.
In May, Venezuelan authorities released an Italian-Venezuelan businessman, but the Italian government insists on maintaining diplomatic pressure until all pending cases are resolved.
