Alessandro di Battista: How is he and what happened?

Alessandro Di Battista remains hospitalized at Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana , where he was transferred on Saturday, August 29, after falling ill in Cuba. During the night, his already serious condition worsened, and he underwent emergency surgery by doctors at the Cuban hospital.

The return to Italy, expected today, Saturday, September 5, has been postponed and, according to recent reports, will not take place for several weeks . The Schierarsi Association announced this in a post reposted by Di Battista himself, urging "maximum discretion and caution" while awaiting updates.

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. The former MP's entourage, the agency reports, is cautious: friends and family are asking for maximum discretion , while doctors are waiting to see how the activist will respond to the operation, an assessment that may take some time to complete.

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 from the Schierarsi Association on Saturday morning, which announced the postponement of his return, urging "maximum discretion and caution." 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 of what happened: according to reports from Corriere della Sera and Il 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 MP underwent surgery : his condition, Corriere reports, remains serious . Neither the nature of the operation nor a new date for his return to Italy 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 's departure from Havana is now a matter of hours. The former MP is still hospitalized at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital , but according to Adnkronos, his flight back to Italy is scheduled to depart Havana at 7:00 PM local time today, Friday, September 4 , which is 1:00 AM in Italy.

According to what ANSA has learned , the former Five Star Movement parliamentarian is expected to leave the island on Saturday morning, September 5. The two agencies have agreed on the arrival time: Di Battista is expected in Rome on the afternoon of Saturday, September 5.

The transfer will take place aboard a private ambulance flight , as emerged in recent days. Upon his return, according to ANSA, Di Battista is expected to 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'm optimistic and always try to see the positive in everything," as reported by ANSA.

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 later confirmed that he will return to Italy on September 4th aboard an air ambulance. The cost of the transfer will be covered by the insurance company with which he had taken out a policy before his departure, Leggo and Sky TG24 write.

In the post, Di Battista also reiterated his denunciation: "For years, I have decided to 'exploit' the media space available to me to denounce the Palestinian Holocaust, which continues even though many newspapers look the other way." He then recounted what they tell him in Cuban hospitals, namely that many of the Palestinian doctors and nurses killed in Palestine over the past three years had studied and trained here. Finally, he thanked everyone for "the affection that is greater than I could have ever imagined ."

Updated September 1, 22:25 AM

According to Corriere della Sera 's Tuesday, September 1 evening edition, the official flight schedule for Alessandro Di Battista's medical flight back to Italy includes departure from Havana on Friday, September 4 , and arrival at the Gemelli Hospital on the afternoon of Saturday, September 5. The flight will be approximately fifteen hours, with two technical stops, the first in the Bahamas and the second in Ireland . Doctors and those following the case are working to move the departure forward to Thursday, September 3 : the results of the latest tests, which have indicated the possibility of low-altitude air transport , could allow for an expedited procedure.

The trip will take place on a private plane covered by the former MP's health insurance. On board, in addition to the medical staff, will be his partner Sahra Lahouasnia , mother of his two sons Andrea and Filippo . "Alessandro is perfectly conscious and is personally communicating with the doctors; he is completely clear about what is happening to him," sources close to the former MP, quoted by Corriere, assure.

The latest medical tests have confirmed the seriousness of the situation : once he arrives at Gemelli Hospital, Di Battista should receive emergency assistance . Meanwhile, Sky TG24 confirms that the former MP remains alert but still seriously ill , with his return expected on Thursday. Regarding the controversy surrounding the state flight, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani recalled in a video on X that 25 compatriots were repatriated between June 1st and August 31st : "No one was left alone."

Updated September 1, 14:25 AM

Doctors have given the green light for Alessandro Di Battista's return to Italy . According to "well-informed sources" cited by ANSA and reported by Sky TG24 , health workers at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana have authorized his transfer: his departure for Rome is scheduled for Thursday, September 3. They are trying to move the flight forward to tomorrow, Wednesday, September 2, but it's unlikely that everything will be organized in time.

The former Five Star Movement MP remains lucid and alert , as demonstrated by some social media posts, but his health remains critical : until yesterday, air travel was not permitted, but after the latest medical evaluations, doctors have apparently given the green light. La Stampa also confirmed the rumors , saying he is expected to arrive in Rome on Thursday on a private flight.

In Havana, alongside Di Battista, is his partner Sahra Lahouasnia , who arrived on Monday, August 31, along with two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic , a neurosurgeon, and an intensive care unit, to assess the 48-year-old's medical condition. The return flight is reportedly a private flight : according to ANSA , Corriere della Sera , and La Repubblica , Di Battista declined the offer of a state-run plane . The transportation costs would be covered by the insurance purchased for the trip to Cuba; if the expense exceeded the policy's coverage, Il Fatto Quotidiano and the Five Star Movement would intervene . According to Corriere della Sera, the newspaper directed by Peter Gomez has already received donations from wealthy Italians who have remained anonymous.

Updated September 1, 12:36 AM

His return to Italy is now imminent . According to reports in Repubblica and Il Fatto Quotidiano , as reported by VesuvioLive , Di Battista is expected to take off for Rome on Thursday, September 3 , aboard a private, fully equipped flight , likely an air ambulance with several refueling stops.

The 48-year-old former congressman had been on the island since August 22nd to produce the report "The Dust of the World ," commissioned by Il Fatto Quotidiano and TvLoft . After suffering a severe headache, he was hospitalized in serious condition in Santa Clara, and then transferred about 24 hours later to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana.

Di Battista chose not to avail himself of the state flight provided by the Meloni government, a protocol governed by a 2011 Prime Minister's Office directive and already used in the past year for approximately sixty Italian citizens in difficulty abroad. The medical expenses incurred in Cuba and the hospital stay would be fully covered by a personal insurance policy , purchased before leaving for the reportage; the Five Star Movement is handling the logistics of the transfer, while any costs not covered by the insurance could be borne by the party and by Fatto Quotidiano itself, which commissioned the reportage.

His condition remains delicate, but Di Battista is alert and conscious and, when possible, responds to messages on social media. Until a few days ago, he was considered "non-transferable" due to the severity of his medical condition. It was the joint assessment by the Gemelli Polyclinic team (a neurosurgeon and an anesthesiologist, sent at the request of Giuseppe Conte ) and Cuban health workers that paved the way for his return to Italy.

Updated September 1, 10:25 AM

The two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic have already met and examined Alessandro Di Battista at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital, discussing his condition with the Cuban medical team and the safest methods for his transfer, according to Il Mattino . Di Battista is reportedly alert and able to respond, when possible, to messages on social media, with his partner Sahra Lahouasnia and friends by his side: their presence has reportedly had a positive effect on his state of mind.

According to Sky TG24 , the former MP remains in Cuba for now : he is lucid, but his condition remains critical and currently does not permit air transport. Health officials are currently evaluating him, and a different decision could be made in the next few hours.

According to Fanpage , the return will take place on a private medical flight , a private air ambulance : the costs will be covered by the insurance provided by Il Fatto Quotidiano and by TvLoft for the reporting, while any additional expenses will be covered by the Five Star Movement and the newspaper. Di Battista reportedly reiterated that he does not want to use the state flight.

Late yesterday evening, M5S President Giuseppe Conte stated: "His condition appeared serious, serious from the beginning, but the news is being provided by his family." Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the Farnesina's commitment to his repatriation: "In the next few days, there will be an opportunity to have him return, and we are working towards that."

Updated September 1, 8:25 AM

The return to Italy could take place as early as tomorrow or the day after : according to Corriere della Sera 's Tuesday, September 1st edition, the medical assessment of Alessandro Di Battista's transportability is underway, and once the medical staff gives the green light, the aircraft provided by the Air Force will be ready to depart. Furthermore, an accelerated timeframe has not been ruled out.

La Repubblica also confirms that the former MP will return to Italy within a few days , but on a private flight : in the next 48 hours he should be able to be accompanied on the aircraft that will take him home, reiterating his choice not to use the state flight.

Il Mattino reports a return to Rome on a private flight with specialist assistance , perhaps as early as Thursday, September 3. The former MP remains vigilant , and is accompanied in Havana by his partner Sahra Lahouasnia , a friend, and the president of Schierarsi, Luca Di Giuseppe . In any case, the final green light for his departure will be up to health officials.

Updated September 1, 2:28 AM

His return to Italy is now scheduled . According to La Repubblica's September 1st edition, Alessandro Di Battista should be able to board a private flight home within the next 48 hours . His decision not to use the government-provided flight has been confirmed once again.

Il Fatto Quotidiano , which publishes his reports, also writes that they will bring him back to Italy on a medical flight : departure as soon as possible, perhaps as early as Thursday, September 3. The two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic remain on the island , with whom Di Battista is expected to return to Italy (according to the newspaper, on Friday, September 4).

The former MP, who has been hospitalized since Friday evening at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, is facing these hours "with a slightly less oppressed spirit," as Il Fatto Quotidiano reports : family and friends are in the hospital, along with his partner Sahra Lahouasnia . The final green light for his departure will, however, be given by health workers.

Updated August 31, 20:25 PM

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that the Farnesina is working towards Alessandro Di Battista's return to Italy: "In the next few days there will be the possibility of having him return and we are working towards that ," the Deputy Prime Minister's words were reported by Sky TG24 and Il Messaggero.

According to Il Messaggero, the medical evaluation on his transportability has not yet been concluded: Di Battista remains alert but his conditions remain critical , with a precise diagnosis and prognosis still awaited.

Regarding the choice of the state health flight, which according to some reconstructions Di Battista declined , clarifications come from the M5S group leader in the Chamber, Riccardo Ricciardi : in 2026 , 57 flights for Italian citizens abroad have already been carried out , with protocols that are activated based on the clinical severity, therefore no preferential treatment.

The journalist from Fatto Quotidiano Andrea Scanzi , close to the former deputy, reports that Di Battista is lucid , reads and "never gives up", but that at the moment he cannot travel.

Updated August 31, 18:25 PM

The Schierarsi association , founded by Di Battista himself, has announced that the former MP is awake , but that there is still no certain news on the diagnosis : Sky TG24 reports this , quoting the association's official statement published on its social media channels.

In the note, Schierarsi thanks those who have expressed closeness and solidarity to the former deputy in recent days and asks that no weight be given to news without official confirmation.

A passage is dedicated to the president of the association Luca Di Giuseppe , who left for Cuba after having been active in the early hours and is now alongside Di Battista in Havana.

According to Sky TG24, Di Battista remains conscious but in serious condition : together with his partner Sahra Lahouasnia , two specialists from the Gemelli Polyclinic , a neurosurgeon and a resuscitator, have also arrived in the Cuban capital , ready to assess the situation and his possible return to Italy.

Updated August 31, 14:25 PM

The two specialists from the Gemelli Polyclinic who arrived in Havana are Professor Francesco Doglietto , director of the complex neurosurgery unit , and Professor Massimo Antonelli , head of the complex resuscitation and intensive care unit.

This is reported by Corriere della Sera and ANSA : they will be the ones to evaluate Di Battista's clinical picture and indicate the timing of his return to Italy.

According to the Corriere della Sera , it was the president of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, who took an interest in the involvement of the Gemelli Polyclinic in the affair.

As for the return trip, the former MP remains inclined to refuse the state plane and return on a scheduled flight , if conditions allow; alternatively, an air ambulance is being considered.

The executive, ANSA writes , expresses "displeasure at the controversy, particularly on social media, following the news of the state flight."

The government is following the matter "closely", starting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , ANSA reports.

His condition remains serious , but Di Battista is conscious, lucid, and in contact with family and friends.

Updated August 31, 8:25 PM

The two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic arrived in Havana during the night and began working alongside Cuban health workers to assess Alessandro Di Battista's condition and his transportability, as reported by Corriere della Sera and La Stampa.

According to the Corriere della Sera , after the illness the Cuban doctors had opted for temporary sedation : a choice that would have misled those who in the first hours had spoken of a coma.

On his return to Italy, the former MP and the Five Star Movement declined the government's offer to use the state plane , as reported by Corriere della Sera.

If his health allows, Di Battista would like to board a simple airliner ; otherwise he will opt for an air ambulance , with the expenses covered by insurance, by the Movement and by Fatto Quotidiano , for which he was producing reports.

On Sunday evening, Di Battista also spoke on the phone with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , who called him to express her closeness: La Stampa and Il Fatto Quotidiano report this.

His condition remains serious but stable : the former MP is conscious and lucid and remains in contact with family and friends. Transfer, when possible, will only take place with the approval of medical personnel.

Update August 31th

The two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic landed in Havana overnight to join the Cuban team treating Alessandro Di Battista, as reported by Il Messaggero . Their mission: to assess his medical condition and evaluate the possibility of his return to Italy.

Sahra Lahouasnia , the former MP's partner and mother of his two children, and Di Battista's sister also traveled with the medical team .

On the phone with friends who reached out to him, Di Battista repeated: " I want to come back ." Messages of support arrived via WhatsApp from Giorgia Meloni , while Luigi Di Maio called him, reconnecting with him after years of isolation.

Giuseppe Conte worked in contact with the Farnesina to facilitate the return, as reported by Il Messaggero and Il Fatto Quotidiano.

His condition remains serious but stable : Cuban doctors currently advise against an air transfer lasting more than eleven hours . The medical plane remains ready , and the green light for his return will be given by the medical staff.

Updated August 30, 20:30 PM

Di Battista successfully survived his first night at Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, where he arrived Saturday evening after being transferred from Santa Clara. According to the Quotidiano Nacional , the former congressman remained alert throughout the trip and his condition remains serious but improving.

ANSA confirms that he remains in serious condition , but conscious and lucid. The two doctors from the Gemelli Polyclinic who left Rome will arrive in Havana tonight to support the Cuban team, assess his medical condition , and evaluate his possible return to Italy: Rai News and agencies confirm this . The prognosis, for now, does not allow for transfer by state flight: the medical plane remains ready, and the green light will be given by the medical staff.

Update August 30th

In the last few hours Di Battista has broken his silence on social media : " I'll do my best to come back soon ," he wrote on Instagram , responding to one of the many messages of encouragement, as reported by Ansa and Sky TG24.

The person who wrote to him was Ilaria Loquenzi , a communications specialist who previously worked for the Five Star Movement: "Don't give up, and please come back... to see the stars again." The former MP's reply was followed by other messages of support.

A new message arrived in the following hours: replying to Neapolitan pizza chef Gino Sorbillo , Di Battista wrote, "I need it ," promising, "I'll come visit you soon." Ansa reports . Attached to the reply was a photo of a tray with a plate of chicken and rice from the hospital in Havana.

Sorbillo, who had previously posted a message of encouragement on Instagram complete with four-leaf clovers and hearts ("Come on, Ale, don't give up"), responded by inviting him to celebrate the restart with a "super pizza party" in Naples' historic center, featuring pizza, Neapolitan cuisine, and good wine "free for everyone": "We were very, very scared for you, Ale, it was terrible," the restaurateur wrote.

According to La Stampa , Di Battista also liked encouraging posts from M5S vice president Vittoria Baldino , Gino Sorbillo , and Five Star MEP Mario Furore . His condition remains very serious , but he is conscious and lucid. For now, as Corriere della Sera reports, as quoted by La Stampa, he is not fit to travel and his return to Italy remains subject to medical advice.

On the afternoon of Sunday, August 30, Di Battista had a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , as sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Adnkronos. The Deputy Prime Minister called the former MP to offer his solidarity and found him " combative in tone, with no weakening of morale despite the complicated situation ."

Tajani assured that the government will do "everything necessary for him, as it should for every Italian citizen in similar circumstances," wishing him a quick return to Rome. During the call, Di Battista spoke at length about Cuba and the island's conditions, a topic of his reporting. The call concluded with the Deputy Prime Minister expressing his hope to see him again soon, "to return to arguing about everything except solidarity among Italians and the paths to peace we must build."

According to what Adnkronos has learned from informed sources, the former MP's health conditions do not currently allow for his transfer to Italy : the medical plane remains ready, but the green light from doctors will be needed before proceeding with the return.

On the afternoon of Sunday 30 August, a team from the Gemelli Polyclinic left Rome : two doctors will reach Havana in the evening or during the night, as reported by ANSA and Adnkronos.

The specialists, indicated according to Corriere della Sera by professors Doglietti and Antonelli , will have to verify the conditions of the former deputy and evaluate whether and when to bring him back to Italy.

The departure of the Gemelli doctors confirms that returning to Italy remains out of the question for now : Di Battista is lucid and stable, but not transportable , as Corriere della Sera reports. The ambulance plane remains ready, but the green light will only be given by the medical staff when transportation poses no risk to his health.

In the last few hours, Di Battista has been undergoing a CT scan with contrast at Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, according to ANSA , which verified the situation on site. The test will help clarify the cause of the illness that struck him on Friday evening.

According to Corriere della Sera , Di Battista remained alert throughout the ambulance journey from Santa Clara to Havana. "He was always alert during the transport," doctors reported. Upon arrival, he underwent a CT scan with contrast , the results of which are expected in the next few hours.

Di Battista's wife, Sahra Lahouasnia , left Rome to join him in Havana, according to Corriere della Sera.

As for his return to Italy, Cuban doctors have currently advised against such a long transfer , pending the results of the CT scan, as reported by Corriere della Sera. However, La Repubblica reports that a state flight has been arranged to bring him back to Italy: the final decision will be up to the health workers based on his clinical condition.

Corriere della Sera also reports that Cuban health workers have certified a stroke , authorizing the transfer to Havana. However, no official diagnosis has been released in the form of a press release: only ongoing tests will clarify the clinical picture.

Meanwhile, new messages of support are arriving. "In this moment of deep concern and disbelief over what has happened, we stand with Alessandro, his family, and his friends. The entire political community of the Five Star Movement is extremely shocked by the news from Cuba," wrote Riccardo Ricciardi and Luca Pirondini , M5S group leaders in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, in a statement, hoping "to be able to quickly embrace Alessandro again."

What happened

Di Battista was admitted to a hospital in Santa Clara , about 300 kilometers from Havana, on the evening of Friday, August 28, after complaining of a severe headache and feeling unwell. He was on the island to produce a series of reports and was unconscious for several hours.

On the evening of Saturday the 29th, he was transferred to the capital, where he arrived on a stretcher and is being treated on the 19th floor of the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital . Doctors immediately measured his vital signs, and he is now undergoing further specialist checks.

How is he now

His condition is improving. According to reports from parliamentary sources and verified by ANSA on site, Di Battista has regained consciousness and spoken to doctors , answering their questions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that he has been in contact with the Italian Embassy in Cuba since last night: “I pray for your health,” he wrote on X, assuring Di Battista and his family of all necessary assistance.

The medical plane for the return

Sources at Palazzo Chigi say a medical plane is available to fly Di Battista back to Italy . Before proceeding with the transfer, however, doctors will need to verify that the patient's condition allows it and that the transportation does not pose a risk to his health.

The Italian ambassador to Cuba, Simona De Martino , went to the hospital in Santa Clara to gather information on the patient's health conditions and to ensure communication with the Cuban authorities and healthcare facilities.

The reactions of politicians

Messages of support abound. "Forza Alessandro! Everyone's with you," wrote Luigi Di Maio on social media, while Five Star Movement president Giuseppe Conte said he had personally checked on the situation: "Forza Ale, I am and we are with you," he concluded.

"Forza Ale!" was the message from Defense Minister Guido Crosetto , with endorsements also arriving from Anna Maria Bernini, Laura Boldrini, Angelo Bonelli, Nicola Fratoianni, Filippo Sensi, Stefano Bonaccini, and representatives of the Lega, Italia Viva, Fratelli d'Italia, and Più Europa parties. "Forza Ale!" was also written by Fiorella Mannoia.

Who is Alessandro Di Battista?

Born in 1978, Di Battista turned 48 on August 4th . He was a Five Star Movement MP from 2013 to 2018, before deciding not to run again because he disagreed with Five Star leader Giuseppe Conte's stance . He founded the Schierarsi association, which promotes civil rights campaigns on healthcare, peace, and foreign policy.

His final break with the Five Star Movement dates back to 2021, after the party's decision to support Mario Draghi's government. In the years since, he has dedicated himself to journalism, geopolitical essays, documentaries, and podcasts on the Middle East, Latin America, and the world's peripheries, closely observing the evolution of Italian governments.

Where is Di Battista now?

He is on the 19th floor of the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, where he was transferred on the evening of Saturday, August 29, from the Santa Clara hospital.

How is Alessandro Di Battista doing?

He regained consciousness, is lucid, and is responding to doctors' questions. He remains under observation and is undergoing specialist tests.

Return to Italy is expected

A medical plane is available, but doctors will evaluate the transfer only if the patient's condition allows it. Ambassador Simona De Martino is following the situation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.