Juana Rivas and her son testify in Cagliari: "We lived in a hell created by our father"

A pivotal moment occurred in the long-running legal dispute between Spanish woman Juana Rivas and her Italian ex-partner Francesco Arcuri at the criminal court in Cagliari, Sardinia. On Thursday, Rivas and her eldest son, now 19-year-old Gabriel, appeared as witnesses in the trial concerning the alleged abuse of the sons by their father. Gabriel, who has lived with his mother in Spain since 2022, presented a shocking account to the court. He described his daily life with his father as "hell," where he repeatedly feared for his own life. According to his testimony, Arcuri allegedly used physical violence, beat the children, and regularly insulted and spat on them, especially during their time living together in the town of Carloforte in 2019. Gabriel emphasized that his move to Spain was associated with immense pain, as he had to leave his younger brother, Daniel, in the care of their father. Juana Rivas herself testified behind a special screen, intended to provide her with psychological comfort in the presence of her accused ex-partner. She confirmed her son's allegations, recounting that Arcuri systematically destroyed the children's self-worth, calling them "bastards" and comparing them to her in a contemptuous manner. Rivas cited her children's words, who allegedly confessed to her that they "would die at the hands of their father." She also explained that she delayed reporting the case to Italian law enforcement because she prioritized the immediate protection of the children from an escalation of aggression. This trial is the result of an unprecedented decision by the Italian prosecutor's office, which, after years of dismissing the case, admitted to negligence and decided to reopen the investigation in 2024. The case of Juana Rivas has been a symbol in Spain since 2016 of the fight for mothers' rights in child custody disputes involving allegations of domestic violence. Spanish law has undergone significant evolution in recent years towards protecting victims, which often leads to conflicts with the legal systems of other EU countries. Despite the gravity of the charges, the legal situation remains complicated. Francesco Arcuri, who participated in Thursday's hearing, had previously been acquitted in similar cases, and some of Rivas's accusations were dismissed by courts during the preliminary stage. Currently, the couple's younger son, 11-year-old Daniel, remains in Italy under his father's care, which is controversial in Spain, where local regulations in light of an ongoing criminal trial for abuse could mandate an immediate change of custody. Thursday's hearings lasted many hours due to procedural delays, and further hearing dates, during which more witnesses will be questioned, have been scheduled for March of this year. „In molti episodi mio padre ha tentato di togliermi la vita” (In many episodes my father tried to take my life) — Gabriel Rivas