Juana Rivas says she hasn't spoken to her youngest son in Italy for a year

Juana Rivas has accused her former partner, Francesco Arcuri, of preventing her from contacting their youngest son, Daniel, who has been living with him in Italy since last July. The child was transferred to Arcuri’s custody following a court ruling, but Rivas claims she has not spoken to Daniel in over a year. She alleges that Arcuri is blocking all communication between the boy and his mother, as well as other family members on his mother's side. The situation began on July 25, 2025, when Daniel was handed over to Arcuri under a judicial decision. According to Rivas, this transfer took place despite Arcuri being investigated in Italy for alleged habitual physical and psychological abuse of their children. She also pointed out that Daniel had previously been protected in Spain by a precautionary measure that temporarily halted his return to Italy until January 2025. However, the First Instance Court number 3 in Granada later decided to enforce the ruling and hand the child over to his father. Rivas criticized the Spanish judiciary for allowing Arcuri to take custody of Daniel, calling it an act of delivering the child “like a trophy.” She noted that Arcuri had already been convicted in Spain for abusing her and accused the Spanish justice system of failing to protect her and her children. In addition, she described how, during the early hours of May 31, a friend based in Carloforte informed her that she had seen Daniel sitting in a wheelchair accompanied by other teenagers. Arcuri did not inform the family about this incident and merely responded with a brief message stating that the child was fine. Rivas claimed she had brought these matters to the attention of Italian authorities. She also expressed frustration over the speed with which legal procedures against her have been handled compared to the slow progress of cases against Arcuri. A criminal case against Arcuri, opened in Italy a year ago, will continue in November before the Criminal Court of Cagliari. Meanwhile, Rivas stated that Daniel, one of the main victims of the crime attributed to Arcuri, is under the sole and absolute control of his presumed aggressor, with no contact allowed with any family member. In her letter, Rivas recounted returning to Spain ten years ago with her children after leaving Italy to seek protection. She accused the Spanish justice system of having “criminalized, persecuted, imprisoned” and harmed her. She also emphasized that many mothers face similar situations and reiterated her call for justice. Rivas was initially sentenced to five years in prison for the offense of child abduction. The Supreme Court reduced the sentence by half in 2021, and she later received a partial pardon, reducing her sentence to one year and three months in prison. The events date back to the summer of 2017, when Rivas disappeared for a month with her two children to avoid handing them over to Arcuri. Since then, she has remained active in seeking justice for herself and her children, while continuing to fight for Daniel’s right to maintain contact with his family. The ongoing legal battles and allegations of abuse highlight the complex and emotionally charged nature of the case, which continues to draw public attention and concern.