Alessandro Di Battista to Return to Italy from Cuba via Air Ambulance

Former M5s deputy Alessandro Di Battista is scheduled to leave Cuba on September 4 via an air ambulance after being hospitalized in serious condition since August 28. Di Battista announced on social media that he feels better and is optimistic, thanking both Cuban and Italian doctors for their timely diagnosis and care. He stated that the costs of the transport will be covered by his travel insurance policy. The flight to Rome is expected to include two stops, one in the Bahamas and one in Ireland, with his arrival at the Policlinico Gemelli predicted for Saturday afternoon. Two specialists from the Gemelli hospital traveled to Havana to assist Cuban health workers and may accompany him on the flight. Sahra Lahousnia, the mother of his two children, is also expected to travel with him.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addressed the situation in a video, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assisted 25 Italians with health repatriations this summer. He emphasized that all citizens, including Di Battista, are assisted with the same spirit of availability. While center-right framing highlights a social media controversy regarding the potential use of a state aircraft, center framing focuses more on the logistical coordination and the support offered by Di Battista's association and political allies. In a separate social media post, Di Battista used his platform to discuss the situation in Palestine, noting that many Palestinian medical professionals killed in recent years had trained in Cuba.