Ex-member of radical Marxist group scales balcony, escapes house arrest in Argentina

74-year-old Leonardo Bertulazzi, awaiting extradition to Italy, reportedly used harness to flee custody

A 74-year-old former member of Italy’s radical Marxist group the Red Brigades has escaped from house arrest in Argentina, the country’s security ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

Authorities placed Leonardo Bertulazzi under house arrest in Buenos Aires in 2024, prior to his extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence.

He had received the sentence in 1987 for joining a subversive association and belonging to an armed group.

After years on the run, Bertulazzi was first arrested by Argentine authorities in 2002. He was freed a few months later and secured refugee status in 2004, but was arrested again in 2024 after it was revoked.

On Wednesday, Argentina’s security ministry offered a $13,000 reward for information leading to Bertulazzi’s recapture after he slipped out of detention.

The fugitive held a senior position in the Red Brigades, a radical Marxist organization responsible for attacks between 1969 and 1980, dubbed Italy’s “Years of Lead”.

The group most notoriously kidnapped and assassinated former prime minister Aldo Moro in 1978.

Local press went wild describing details of Bertulazzi’s escape from his residence in the capital, but authorities have not confirmed the veracity of any of the reports.

He reportedly used a harness to lower himself from a fifth-floor balcony.

Police noticed his ankle monitor had stopped transmitting movement data and headed to the house, where they found the device discarded and Bertulazzi nowhere to be found.

Argentina approved his extradition to Italy in July 2025 after the country’s supreme court rejected a final appeal.