Breathe
By Rocío Correa
"Mexican mafias are very rich and powerful so all activities related to drug trafficking will vote for magistrates akin to them." Nicola Gratteri
No post on the web, no social page advertising, much less spots in traditional media, as the praxis says in these cases: nothing at all; it would be breaking with the elementary protocol of security for a man who has made the fight against the mafia his Leitmotiv and that is why since April 1989 he has been living under escort.
Nicola Gratteri, deputy prosecutor of the Italian Republic at the Court of Reggio Calabria is one of the most exposed magistrates in the fight against the `ndrangheta. He has investigated the Duisburg massacre, a multiple homicide committed by the criminal organization on August 15, 2007 in Germany, and the international drug trafficking routes.
Giulia Faggian impeccably organized this meeting dedicated to her clients; a closed group of Padua booksellers. Great pre-birthday gift!
A month of preparations, communications with the staff of the prosecutor and Professor Antonio Nicaso historian of criminal organizations, currently one of the top experts on 'ndrangheta in the world, his book "Bad Blood" became a successful television series, he lives and works between Canada and the United States. In his recently published co-authored book "One Thing Alone" he tells the story of how the mafias have integrated themselves into power.
Great gift! End of the year gift for me too, thank you, Giulia! Drug trafficking, corruption, power, topics that are very, very deeply felt by a Mexican inside or outside the country, always! But today more than ever.
After weeks of preparations, December 11, the day of the meeting, arrived and hours in advance the forces of order arrived for the routine controls, I counted no less than 12 policemen from the entrance of the main parking lot that was completely closed by 2 patrol cars and later in front of the entrance of the event site another patrol car and a truck "Carabinieri - artificeri antisabotaggio" (anti-bomb squad). Nevertheless, this great security operation did not let the atmosphere be contaminated by the presence of all this inspection force at any time. Already inside this warehouse decorated with Christmas motifs there was a red sofa in the center where Gratteri and Nicaso would sit at 13.30 sharp as the invitation indicated to chat with us. I was not able to count the bodyguards who mingled among the people as simple guests.
At 12:30 sharp the event opened with a catering, Giulia introduced me personally with the two characters and obviously people began to approach with book in hand so as not to miss the opportunity to have them autographed... I decided that my three questions would be left at the end, leaving open the possibility that they could change by listening to their interventions. My questions would not change, so I anticipate them and their answers.
- Attorney, in Mexico next year, in June 2025, the first popular elections for Magistrates and Judges will be held. What is your opinion about the popular vote for this type of very important positions in the administration of justice in a Nation?
- "I am contrary, it is a democratic involution, the magistrate cannot be elected by sympathy, he must be a technician who must stay out of the electoral mechanism".
- As you may know, Mexico has a very close relationship with drug trafficking; there has even been talk of a "narco-state". Do you consider it a risk that this popular vote could bring characters of this category into the judicial system?
- It is very likely, considering that Mexican mafias are very rich and powerful so all activities related to drug trafficking will vote for magistrates related to them.
For my third question I turned to Professor Nicaso:
- Professor, what is your opinion of President Donald Trump's statements regarding the fight against drug trafficking in Mexico through a possible invasion?
- I do not think it is the solution, in the sense that it is difficult to extirpate a phenomenon that unfortunately is taking root in Mexican territory; it is clear that it is necessary not to blame only Mexicans, there are many other continuities and collusions that occur in the American territory. Proclamations are not enough, we will be waiting to see what Trump, who has already said so many things, will really tell us, including that he wants to become the first Mexican president. including that of wanting to become the first Crypto president, we still have to wait and see what will happen....
- Another topic, that of Crypto currency right, professor? Where it is said that the hand of the mafia is also inside.
- Exactly! Also, also...
"Tutto il mondo è paese" is a proverbial Italian expression whose meaning is that there are no substantial differences between the various social and political realities between communities and nations and is commonly used with bitterness, as in this case.
"Mafias, cartels, clans have no borders and the risk is not to see them everywhere, in fact, the risk is not even to see them", This is the only thing I extract from the book "Una Cosa sola" because I will focus on the talk of the experts and as a first thing I leave you with the explanation of Professor Nicaso to the reason for the title that gives name to the book...
- "We have chosen this title in order to denounce this normalization of the mafias; this kind of institutionalization, the fact that the fight against the mafia has been removed from the political agenda, it is obvious, we see the money from criminal activities entering with impressive ease into the legal economy thanks to collusions with members of politics, the business world, the free professions, banks and opaque jurisdictions with so many regulatory asymmetries. The risk is that one ends up creating a single thing with the difficulty of disassociation.
What Attorney Gratteri reveals to us is shocking, at least it is for me and from the deafening silence in the room, I realize that I am not the only one impressed, if I had to summarize it in one sentence I would say that: "the reading I give to what I am hearing, is that we are in front of a moment of epochal rupture." ...
Vocabulary:
Mafia: used worldwide to refer to organized crime.
Cartel: usually used to refer to drug trafficking organizations,
Cosa Nostra: specific to the Sicilian Mafia
Camorra: specific to the Neapolitan mafia
'Ndrangheta: specific to the Calabrian Mafia
Clan: used in the context of criminal groups
Syndicate: used in similar circumstances.
Rocio Correa
Graduate in journalism from the School of Journalism "Carlos Septién García". Constant re-inventor of herself.
"The unspeakable must not remain silent."
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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