Alessandro Di Battista, one of the most prominent figures in modern Italian populism and a former leading lawmaker for the Five Star Movement, made his first television appearance following a life-threatening medical emergency in Havana. Appearing via video link on the political talk show DiMartedì, Di Battista revealed he had undergone emergency surgery in Cuba to remove a brain tumor after suffering a sudden cerebral edema.
The incident has highlighted the severe material shortages facing Cuba’s healthcare sector under American sanctions. While praising the skill of the Cuban neurosurgeon who saved his life, Di Battista described the stark reality on the ground, sharing that his doctor later wrote to him stating the hospital lacked power to sterilize surgical instruments due to rolling blackouts. He launched a sharp attack on Washington, accusing the U.S. government of acting like "mafiosi" by strangling the Cuban population through its economic blockade.
Di Battista also publicly thanked Italy’s conservative Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, for reaching out with personal support during his hospitalization despite their deep political differences. The former lawmaker confirmed he is stepping back from political life to focus entirely on his recovery and ongoing medical treatment.