Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini has been acquitted in the case of depriving migrants of their liberty.
The prosecutor’s office demanded that Salvini be sentenced to six years in prison. In the end, the Palermo court acquitted the deputy prime minister, as it did not see any evidence of a crime in his actions.
In July 2019, Salvini banned the disembarkation of 130 rescued migrants on board the Gregoretti in Italian ports. According to him, the decision to ban the disembarkation of migrants was taken collectively, all the competent ministers of the cabinet, as well as the head of government, were aware of the situation. As a result, his decision became the reason for an investigation.
Matteo Salvini called his acquittal a victory, saying that “after three years, the [far-right party] League has won, Italy has won,” according to Politico. Protecting the Fatherland is not a crime, but a right. I shall continue more than ever determined.” The acquittal drew cheers, and chants of “Matteo, Matteo” from Italy’s center-right lawmakers, who were busy in parliament at work on the budget. “There is a judge in Palermo! A hug to Matteo Salvini.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also commended Salvini, saying, “Justice has prevailed, bravo Matteo Salvini, another victory for the Patriots for Europe.” The prosecutor had earlier also called for Salvini to be sentenced to six years in prison and pay more than 1 million euros ($1.08 million) in damages compensation if he had been found guilty.
On December 18, it was reported that Bolivian authorities had already issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales in October, accused of having a relationship with a minor. The British newspaper The Guardian wrote that the police were unable to execute the warrant and arrest Morales because he was under armed protection from coca growers in the rural areas of the Cochabamba department.
Earlier, the former president of Bolivia declared a hunger strike.
