In Italy, the mafia is lurking to recruit vulnerable people

Just like in many other places in southern Italy, many people work black here. Now that they are locked in the house they cannot leave the house, but they also have no social safety net. Cosimo Ricci, a young man standing in line with his face mask in front, calls it a major dilemma. “If you go out to work black again anyway you have money. But if the police check you, you cannot prove that you are legitimately on the road and you have to pay a fine. So then you only work for your fine. “

So he also collects the food for his family from InConTra. He is happy with it. Because according to the mayor of Bari, there is a social bomb that is about to explode if the government does not intervene. “Vulnerable people are at risk of ending up in the hands of organized crime,” said Antonio Decaro.

Depending on the mafia

Roberto Saviano – mafia connoisseur and bestselling author of Gomorra – says the Mafia does that by making poor people dependent on them. “They are already doing that by providing food aid themselves in poor neighborhoods in Italy. In Bari, Naples, but even in the suburbs of Milan and Turin.”

The mafia also gives cheap loans to people in need. They charge little interest, but ask for favors in return. “People have to help mafiosi go into hiding or hide things before they go in,” Saviano explains. “The mafia can get their votes. Or put companies that actually belong to the mafia.” And so the mafia has those people in the bag.

After years of successful action, this corona crisis could be a blow to the Mafia. Anti-mafia attorney Federico Cafiero De Raho said earlier in De Volkskrant that the support of the mafia is increasing among the poor population. “None of those people will ever speak to justice again,” said Cafiero.

While Cosimo is still waiting in line for the food bank, he nods understandingly. He calls it a difficult choice. “Because even if you’re not a criminal and you see your kids are hungry, what else should you do?”

Volunteers are the savior

The mayor is therefore pleased with the 400 million euros in food stamps that the Italian government has provided so that poor people can buy food. “The voluntary organizations are also very important in this fight.”

But according to Saviano, much more needs to be done. “If necessary, you have to drop money from helicopters above those poor neighborhoods. Really. Give bank loans. Or a pass with which you can do shopping on credit.” In his view, these kinds of measures that meet the basic necessities of life are fundamental in the fight against the mafia.

While his volunteers put another box of milk, fresh mushrooms, vegetables and one of the gigantic donated Easter eggs on the table for Cosimo and his family, Michele Tataranni is looking far less desperate. “If the government helps us in Bari, we can certainly reduce this problem.”

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