The mayor of a village in central Italy is being investigated by the Public Prosecutor's Office on suspicion of receiving bribes from Brazilians to facilitate the recognition of citizenship by right of blood (jus sanguinis).
The investigation targets 17 people, including Lino Nicola Gentile, ruler of Castel del Giudice, a town of around 300 inhabitants located in the Molise region; and former leaders of Pratola Peligna, with 7,4 residents, in neighboring Abruzzo.
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They are suspected of crimes such as corruption in official acts and ideological falsehood. The Isernia Public Prosecutor's Office's hypothesis is that those investigated had set up an organization that received money and other benefits from Brazilians to certify jus sanguinis citizenship, even in the absence of the documentation provided for by law.
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According to the survey, each candidate paid 300 euros to the authorities, in addition to Christmas baskets and boxes of wine, while intermediaries received up to 3 euros for the service.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior compiled by the National Statistics Institute (Istat), Brazilians account for 85% of requests for recognition of jus sanguinis citizenship made on Italian soil in 2017: 7.014, out of a total of 8.252 – the numbers exclude procedures carried out by the consular network.
To obtain recognition in Italy, you must reside in the country during the processing of the application, which can take a few months. Several investigations have already led to the revocation of the citizenships of hundreds of Brazilians due to corruption and irregularities in the certification of residence.
By Ansa Brasil Agency
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