Nicaragua breaks diplomatic ties with Italy over 1978 murder case

Nicaragua has broken diplomatic relations with Italy in a spat ​over the 1978 killing of a ‌former Italian prime minister, Nicaragua's foreign ministry said on Thursday, Report informs via Reuters.

The ministry said the decision was ​triggered by comments from Italian Foreign ​Minister Antonio Tajani criticizing the Central American ⁠nation for harboring a former militant ​convicted of the 1978 assassination of former ​Prime Minister Aldo Moro.

Tajani had questioned Nicaragua's decision to grant citizenship to Alessio Casimirri, a former ​member of the far-left Red Brigades.

​Moro, a former prime minister and leader of ‌Italy's Christian Democrats, was kidnapped by the Red Brigades in March 1978. The group demanded the release of imprisoned members in exchange ​for his ​safety, ⁠but Moro was found dead in the trunk of a car ​some two months later.

Italy's foreign ​ministry, ⁠when asked to comment, reiterated Tajani's call for Casimirri to be extradited.

"We tell Nicaragua ⁠that ​granting immunity to a criminal ​is unacceptable," Tajani said.