Fugitive Red Brigades Ex-Member's Daring Escape from House Arrest in Argentina

A 74-year-old former member of Italy’s far-left Red Brigades, Leonardo Bertulazzi, has escaped from house arrest in Argentina by descending from a fifth-floor apartment using a harness and rope, triggering a nationwide manhunt. Bertulazzi, who is wanted in Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence, made his escape on Tuesday and remained at large on Wednesday, according to Argentine police officials who spoke to The Associated Press. He was convicted in absentia by an Italian court for his involvement 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 His refugee status in Argentina was revoked under the administration of President Javier Milei. Police detailed his escape route: he descended to a second-floor terrace of an adjacent building, then to a first-floor terrace, crossed an empty lot, and exited onto the street by scaling a gate. Authorities initially failed to notice his absence as he had manipulated his electronic ankle monitor. Officials stated he placed the device inside a container with a thermal blanket to maintain its temperature, along with grease or animal fat, to simulate moisture. Explosives experts later examined the device, which had been designed to appear as an explosive. Argentina’s Security Ministry has announced a reward of 20 million pesos (approximately $13,000) for information leading to his recapture.

The Red Brigades, a far-left armed organization, were responsible for numerous kidnappings and killings in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s, a period referred to as the “Years of Lead.” The group was infamously involved in the 1978 kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro. Argentine court records indicate that Bertulazzi, who was part of the group’s Genoa branch, played a role in the logistics of Moro’s kidnapping. Italian courts convicted him in the 1980s for “terrorism-related” offenses, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 27 years. He was first apprehended in Buenos Aires in November 2002, but an Argentine judge denied Italy’s extradition request in 2003, citing that Italian law did not guarantee a retrial for convictions made in absentia. He was subsequently granted refugee status in 2004. Argentina revoked this status in 2024 under President Milei and re-arrested him in August of that year. The Supreme Court of Argentina approved his extradition last year. Wanda Ferro, an undersecretary in Italy’s Interior Ministry, emphasized that Argentine police were responsible for his handover and expressed confidence that all efforts would be made for his recapture, hoping for a swift extradition if he is found.