Brazil and Italy will meet in a football game today in London. The friendly match is far from having the importance of other disputes in the past, world cup decisions included, but the mood built around the game has set the national blogospheres on fire — see Global Voices. After weeks of cross-Atlantic brouhaha, some bloggers are starting to wonder how and why the case has gone so far. Is the Brazilian Government's decision to grant political refugee status to Italian felon Cesare Battisti really worth of such attention? What elements could be at play to bring forth those remarkable outcomes, such as the minute of silence from the Ministers of European Parliament in a session last week in honor of Battisti's alleged victims from 30 years ago, or the farewell of an Italian-born journalism icon in Brazil over the heated national debate on the case, and also Italy's recall of their Ambassador in Brasilia? The Italian government went as far as threatening to call off the friendly game, leading Brazilians to sense a blow out of proportion. Berlusconi is the one to blame. Celeuma injustificada a criada pelo “caso Battisti” e a atitude de bufão tomada pelo governo chefiado por Silvio Berlusconi. Pelo menos aproveitei a chance para estudar sobre o tema antes de me arriscar a escrever algumas linhas. A maioria dos analistas não faz segredo da passionalidade de suas analises e transformaram o caso numa disputa partidária, ou pior, futebolística. Brasil vs Itália – Dissolvendo No Ar A Itália, hoje, vive o governo histérico de Berlusconi. É o dono da grande rede de televisão italiana, é dono de jornais, é dono de times de futebol. Ou seja, é o dono da Itália. E é nitidamente fascista, xenófobo, racista. A HISTERIA DE BERLUSCONI E A SOBERANIA BRASILEIRA – Blog de Luís Antônio Castagna Maia The Italian reaction now is very different from last year's, when the French government refused to extradite Marina Petrella, a former Red Brigades terrorist who was informed of the decision at her hospital bed by Carla Bruni herself. This time with Brazil, Ms. Sarkozy had to come out to dismiss any connection with Cesare Batistti, which ended up bringing more spice to the story. Many blogs mention that the main source of the Italian enrage this time was the terms used by the justice minister Tarso Genro to announce the asylum grant, declaring that Battisti was a victim of political persecution and that his life might be at risk if he were returned to his homeland. Mais do que a decisão em si, o que provocou a violenta reação do governo italiano foram os termos utilizados pelo ministro da Justiça, Tarso Genro, para negar o pedido de refugio, aceitando as alegações de Battisti, segundo as quais correria risco de vida e de perseguição política caso voltasse à Itália. Battisti e Rother: a arte dos tiros no pé – Balaio do Kotscho Por mais que insista que a decisão do Brasil foi soberana, é sabido que Tarso não consultou o Itamaraty antes de resolver. E enfiou na cara da Itália e do governo do tosquíssimo Silvio ,Berlusconi uma justificativa dura, nada diplomática e desnecessária. A França obviamente desconfia das mesmas possibilidades que afligiram o pimpão ministro da Justiça. Mas preferiu se referir às condições de saúde de Petrella, em vez de criar caso por nada. Diante disso, a mesma Itália recuou. Parece razoável que a mesma decisão soberana que Tarso defende seja acompanhada do tensionamento das relações pela Itália, que viu um ministro de Justiça brasileiro pela primeira vez questionar a justiça dos outros. Molecagem de segunda categoria. Um bom exemplo de como uma decisão justa pode ser prejudicada por quem não sabe respeitar a soberania alheia. Tarso errou (mesmo) com Batistti – Blog do Savarese Football is not the only strong link between Brazilians and Italians. There are many other cultural interfaces, and also the fact that Brazil is home for the biggest Italian community outside Italy. In the present case, it seems that this proximity has ignited a complex chain reaction over unresolved issues from both countries’ past: the “years of lead“. In Brazil, where armed groups fought against the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 until 1985, an amnesty law resulted that neither security officials accused of torture nor those involved in violence against the state faced prosecution. Italy is proud of having maintained its political institutions during its ‘anni di piombo‘ (1970-80), but many aspects of the period seems to be shrouded in mystery. A key figure in this debate here in Brazil turned to be Mino Carta, the Italian-born journalist, publisher and writer that helped create 3 of the 4 main magazines currently published in the country.