Alessandro Di Battista was hospitalized in Cuba in serious condition and transferred by ambulance to Havana.

Updated September 7, 19:30 AM

Alessandro Di Battista is still hospitalized in intensive care at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , two days after the surgery he underwent on September 5th . This was confirmed, according to ANSA , by local sources contacted by the agency, who, however, did not go further in their communication on the former MP's state of health.

No new medical bulletin arrived this evening: Di Battista remains sedated, as is standard post-operative practice , and under observation in intensive care, with the timing of his return to Italy still to be defined and estimated to be weeks.

Updated September 7, 6:25 AM

Alessandro Di Battista's surgery was successful , according to medical sources treating the former MP at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , according to Corriere della Sera and La Stampa . Following Saturday's emergency operation, Di Battista was sedated as part of routine post-operative care and will remain in intensive care for at least a couple of days.

According to leaks, some parameters monitored in the last few hours appear to be within normal limits : a circumstance greeted with cautious optimism by the former parliamentarian's entourage, who, however, continue to urge caution. "There's no rush: this is a delicate phase," say those closest to Di Battista, while the Schierarsi Association calls for discretion and respect for privacy.

As for the timing of his return to Italy, according to well-informed sources, Di Battista could remain in Cuba for another four weeks , up to thirty days after the operation: a conservative estimate, which will depend on the evolution of his clinical picture at the end of the period of sedation.

Updated September 6, 20:25 AM

According to ANSA , the surgery Alessandro Di Battista underwent at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana is now behind him. Caution prevails among the former MP's entourage: friends and family are asking for maximum discretion , while doctors are waiting to see how he will respond to the operation, an assessment that may not be immediate.

The return flight by air ambulance has been cancelled and, according to ANSA, will have to be rescheduled: it could be days or weeks before Di Battista can leave Havana. The last official update remains the post by the Schierarsi Association on Saturday morning regarding the postponement of his return. The former MP is reportedly still hospitalized at the Hermanos Ameijeiras hospital, with no official announcement regarding his condition or the nature of the operation.

Updated September 6, 12:25 AM

According to Corriere della Sera , citing sources close to the former MP, the surgery was successful : now it's time to wait for the post-operative recovery , which, according to those close to him, will be lengthy. "It will take weeks and a lot of patience ," is what leaks from the former MP's entourage.

On the afternoon of Saturday, September 5th, Corriere reports, more reassuring news emerged regarding the outcome of the surgery , although the level of alert remains very high . There has been no official confirmation of the patient's condition nor has a diagnosis been communicated: the family and the Schierarsi Association continue to ask for "maximum discretion and caution" while awaiting updates.

Updated September 6, 8:25 AM

Alessandro Di Battista 's conditions worsened during the night and the former MP underwent emergency surgery at the Hermanos Ameijeiras hospital in Havana : the Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica reconstruct the situation , according to which his clinical condition worsened during the transfer to the airport, when the return flight was already ready.

The air ambulance, bound for Rome, had arrived in the Bahamas and was scheduled to fly to Havana and then land in Ciampino yesterday afternoon. Doctors at the Gemelli Polyclinic were awaiting Di Battista for further surgery before starting treatment. However, during the night, his condition worsened, prompting paramedics at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital to intervene immediately in Havana , making the transfer impossible.

According to Corriere della Sera and La Stampa , his return to Italy will be delayed by weeks : there is no new date for the flight and much will depend on his post-operative recovery . His condition remains very serious . No official information has been provided on the nature of the surgery.

« Alessandro Di Battista's return has been postponed »: the Schierarsi Association , founded by Di Battista himself, asks «everyone to maintain the utmost discretion and caution in disseminating information, pending further updates».

Updated September 5, 14:25 AM

New details on the reconstruction: according to Corriere della Sera and Fatto Quotidiano , the return flight was ready but was cancelled at the last minute . Di Battista's condition reportedly worsened during the ambulance ride to the airport , with the departure cancelled shortly before takeoff.

Having returned to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , the former congressman underwent surgery : his condition remains serious , according to the Corriere. Neither the nature of the operation nor a new date for his return have been disclosed.

Updated September 5, 10:25 AM

According to ANSA and Sky TG24 , Alessandro Di Battista underwent surgery in Cuba : the surgery resulted in his return to Italy being postponed.

Neither the type of surgery nor a new flight date have been disclosed. The former congressman remains hospitalized at Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , receiving treatment from Cuban doctors alongside the team from the Gemelli Polyclinic who arrived a few days ago.

Update September 5th

Alessandro Di Battista 's return to Italy , expected this afternoon, Saturday 5 September , has been postponed: this was reported by Adnkronos.

The Schierarsi Association , of which Di Battista is founder and vice president, announced this in a post also shared on his social media profile.

" Alessandro Di Battista's return has been postponed . We ask everyone to maintain the utmost discretion and caution when disseminating information, pending further updates," the message reads.

According to LaPresse and Il Messaggero , the return has been postponed to a date to be determined : the reasons for the postponement nor a new date for the flight have been disclosed.

The transfer was supposed to take place aboard a private air ambulance with arrival at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.

The former deputy remains hospitalized at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , assisted by Cuban doctors together with the Gemelli team who arrived in recent days.

Update September 4th

Alessandro Di Battista is still hospitalized in Havana, but his departure for Italy is now a matter of hours.

According to what Adnkronos has learned , the former deputy's flight is due to leave Havana at 7pm local time today, Friday 4 September , or 1am in Italy.

According to what ANSA has learned , Di Battista is expected to leave the island on Saturday morning, September 5th.

The two agencies have agreed on the time of arrival in Italy, expected for Saturday afternoon 5 September , when Di Battista should be admitted to the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.

Update September 2th

Alessandro Di Battista broke his silence on social media , writing: "Today I feel better . "

These have been difficult days and, at the same time, I am optimistic and always try to see the positive in everything, as ANSA reports.

The former MP thanked the Cuban doctors who treated him, describing them as "very good and timely in their diagnosis and initial treatment," as confirmed by the Italian doctors themselves.

Di Battista then confirmed his return to Italy on September 4th aboard an air ambulance.

The transfer costs will be covered by the insurance company with which he had taken out a policy before leaving, write Leggo and Sky TG24.

In his message, the former deputy also dwelt on the topic of Palestine , recounting what he was told in Cuban hospitals:

“Many of the Palestinian doctors and nurses killed in the last three years had studied and trained here ,” Di Battista wrote.

Finally, he thanked everyone for "the affection that was greater than I could have ever imagined . "

Update September 1th

In the hours preceding the return trip had been indicated for Thursday 3 September with a private medical flight :

According to what was reported by ANSA and taken up by Sky TG24 and Rai News , the medical team had given the go-ahead for the transfer.

The departure was then tied to the timeframe indicated by Di Battista himself. The former MP remains vigilant , but according to Tgcom24, there is still no definitive news on his diagnosis.

Corriere della Sera has reconstructed the details of the journey: approximately fifteen hours of flight with two technical stops , the first in the Bahamas and the second in Ireland, and an expected arrival at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.

Update August 31th

During the night between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st August , Di Battista's partner , Sahra Lahouasnia , and the two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic sent by the 5 Star Movement arrived in Havana :

a neurosurgeon and a resuscitator , as confirmed by ANSA , Corriere della Sera and Rai News.

The Italian team met with Cuban health workers to assess the patient's clinical condition and transportability. Five Star Movement President Giuseppe Conte also followed the situation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Update August 30th

On Sunday 30 August, Di Battista broke the silence with a first message on Instagram : «I'll do my best to come back soon» , responding to the many messages of encouragement.

According to ANSA , Corriere della Sera and la Repubblica , he declined the offer of the state flight : the transfer will take place

with a private flight , with the expenses covered by the insurance taken out for the reportage.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke to him on the phone: «He is combative, I await him in Italy».

What happened

Alessandro Di Battista was struck by a sudden illness on the evening of Friday, August 28, while he was in Cuba producing a report.

After a severe headache , he lost consciousness and was rushed to a hospital in Santa Clara , about 300 kilometers from Havana, where he remained under observation for several hours.

On the evening of Saturday 29 August he was transferred by ambulance to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , one of the best facilities on the island, where he is

underwent a CT scan with contrast , as reported by ANSA.

How is he now

Di Battista has regained consciousness and is alert and lucid : he is answering doctors' questions and is in contact with family and friends.

His condition remains serious , but agencies reported he is improving.

Corriere della Sera reports that Cuban health workers have certified a stroke , but no official diagnosis has been communicated.

Non-essential transfers are currently not permitted: return to Italy will be considered only when doctors deem it safe.

The return to Italy

A medical plane is ready to take Di Battista back to Italy:

The former MP refused the state flight , preferring a private flight with medical assistance on board and costs covered by the insurance company.

The Farnesina , through Ambassador Simona De Martino , is monitoring the situation. Di Battista's own announcement that he would leave on Friday, September 4, has, however, been superseded: his return has been postponed to a date to be determined , as announced on Saturday, September 5, by the Schierarsi Association.