MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Zambelli arrested in Italy, pending extradition to Brazil

Zambelli is a staunch supporter of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who claims persecution from the STF

Italian authorities in Rome Tuesday arrested Carla Zambelli, a far-right Brazilian congresswoman and staunch supporter of former President Jair Bolsonaro. She had fled to Italy in May after being sentenced to ten years in prison in the South American country.

Her arrest was a joint operation involving Brazilian and Italian security forces and Interpol, and she now faces extradition proceedings. Italian MP Angelo Bonelli of the Green and Left Alliance played a key role, informing Italian police of Zambelli's address in Rome.

Upon her arrest, Zambelli, who also holds Italian citizenship, stated in a video that she would not return to Brazil to serve her sentence, preferring to do so in Italy, a country she described as “fair and democratic.” She claimed to have “decided to turn herself in” with a “clear conscience” as she was “resisting,” not “running away.”

Zambelli has accused the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) of “persecution.” She was sentenced for hiring a hacker to infiltrate judicial computer systems during the 2022 election campaign. She also faces other charges, including a widely publicized incident where she allegedly chased a left-wing activist at gunpoint through São Paulo streets.

Experts believe her extradition process could take 18 months to two years, but note that political considerations often influence such cases. The Italian courts will assess if her crimes are also punishable under Italian law. While the Brazilian Constitution does not allow the extradition of its own nationals, Italy's laws differ, as seen in the 2015 extradition of former Banco do Brasil Director Henrique Pizzolato, who also had dual citizenship.

Legal scholars suggest Zambelli's Brazilian citizenship is primary, given her life and career there. They also indicate that she is unlikely to receive political support from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose government is wary of further controversy related to extradition cases.