Venezuelan Foreign Minister Iván Gil stated he is “very familiar with the case of Alberto Trentini” and asserted that the Italian aid worker’s human rights have not been violated. In an interview with CNN Venezuela, reported today by Corriere del Veneto, Gil said, “He has a lawyer, he is on trial, there is a legal action and it will follow its course.” The minister was responding to a question about Trentini, who has been detained in the South American country for 300 days.
Gil, who was speaking amid tensions with the U.S. government over anti-drug strategies, was questioned on the Trentini affair at the end of the interview. The minister confirmed his familiarity with the case, noting that a legal proceeding is underway and “must be respected.” Gil concluded by stating, “In Venezuela there are thousands of courts that represent all nationalities: Colombians, Peruvians, Italians, accused of many crimes. The most common is drug trafficking.”