He was a historical member of the Italian Communist Party (Partito Comunista Italiano, or PCI).

After the liberation of Northern Italy, Tortorella became journalist (and eventually vice-director) for the Genoese edition of PCI's newspaper, L'Unità.

In the late 1970s he was against Berlinguer's move towards the so-called Historic Compromise (Compromesso storico), which aimed for a government alliance between PCI and the other Italian main party of the period, Democrazia Cristiana.

In 1989, Tortorella was one of the main opponents of the Svolta della Bolognina, the change of PCI's name supported by new secretary Achille Occhetto.

In 2000s, he contributed to a leftist magazine, Critica marxista, and organized cultural activities dealing with Enrico Berlinguer's figure and politics.