Foreign minister Angelino Alfano on Thursday said he had faith in Brazil's authorities amid reports that former Italian leftwing terrorist and convicted murderer Cesare Battisti was set to be extradited to Italy.
"At the moment we must only express respect for the decisions of the Brazilian president (Michel Temer) and for his assessment, which we await with great confidence," Alfano said.
Battisti was arrested last week in Corumba', on the border between Brazil and Bolivia after reports that Brazilian president Michel Temer was considering Battisti's status as a political refugee, paving the way for his extradition.
Battisti, 62, has been sentenced to two life terms in Italy for four 1970s murders.
He has claimed that if Brazil hands him over to Italian authorities, it will be "consigning me to death".