General Roberto Vannacci, former head of an elite paratrooper corps and author of the book “The World Upside Down,” has sparked controversy for his controversial statements about the LGBTQ+ community and other issues. In his self-published work, Vannacci presents himself as an “heir to Julius Caesar” and expresses controversial views.
In the book, which came out on August 10, Vannacci writes disturbing statements, such as “Dear homosexuals, you are not normal; come to terms with it,” and criticizes what he calls “debatable rules of inclusion and tolerance imposed by minorities.” . In addition, he questions the Italian nationality of volleyball player Paola Egonu due to her Afro-descendant ancestry.
The Defense Ministry, contacted by AFP, has not denied the veracity of this information. General Vannacci, who has had a career in conflict zones such as Somalia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, and Libya, was placed at the disposal of the ground army forces, according to reports from the AGI agency.
The general’s statements have been condemned by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who described his statements as “lucubrations”. Crosetto, who has ties to far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, stressed that Vannacci has spent much of his career on conflict grounds and that the military should call on him for military work rather than express controversial views.
Despite the backlash and controversy generated by his book, General Vannacci has shown no remorse for his statements. In an interview with the Rette 4 television channel, he stated that he sees no reason to retract a book in which he expresses his thoughts without the intention of offending anyone.