Cosa Nostra: between ''new'' scions and old bosses, the historical mafia rules in Palermo
Jamil El Sadi April 22, 2023
In the new mapping of districts, the names Guttadauro, Lo Piccolo and Biondino return
An old mafia that makes itself "new" and that advances, or at least tries to, reorganizing the mandates between one blitz and another. This is the image that emerges from the six-monthly report of the Dia and from the latest investigations by the investigative bodies regarding the Cosa Nostra in Palermo. Names and surnames of "old peaks" and young offspring. Mafiosi, and presumed such, who command the historic districts of Palermo. A Cosa Nostra that is renewed thanks to those who have seen the dawn of a new day after prison, and those, on the other hand, who have never seen the "sun" set. Rebuilding the updated map of mafia power, like " S" did, it appears evident that for the associations of Cosa Nostra in Palermo and those of the western provinces of Sicily "the prolonged absence at the top of a solid and recognized leadership" on the one hand favors the affirmation at the head of mandates and families of new exponents who boast a 'mafia family origin (of the real "children of art"); on the other hand, however, it allows the elderly men of honor who have returned to freedom to regain territorial hegemony.

In Porta Nuova, for example, Nunzio Milano was released last April after his last release after serving a 9-year prison sentence. But he is not the only Milan to be free again. Nunzio's brother Salvatore , alias Totuccio, and his son Nicola came out before Nunzio . The latter linked to Nicola Ingarao (he was his godfather), who was massacred at the behest of Salvatore Lo Piccolo . A direct retaliation against Pagliarelli's life sentence boss Nino Rotolo who had declared war on Tommaso Natale, alias "the baron".

Now close to release also the defendants convicted in the "Ghiaccio" trial which revealed the role of Giuseppe Guttadauro , known as "the doctor", former head physician of the Civic Hospital of Palermo - already ended up in prison 22 years ago, a leading exponent of Cosa nostra Palermitan, involved in the past in the investigation into the moles at the DDA in which the former president of the Region Totò Cuffaro was investigated - arrested on 14 February together with his son, Mario Carlo Guttadauro . Guttadauro would have organized a drug trade with foreign countries, financed by some Palermitans, opening a channel for the acquisition of cocaine with South America and with an Albanian for the supply of hashish.

Free, albeit with some restrictions, Giovanni “ Johnny ” Lucchese, the boss of Brancaccio who "reversed" and no longer wanted to collaborate with the justice , Claudio D'Amore , Giuseppe Caserta and Vincenzo Vella . The latter had returned to prison on charges of political-Mafia electoral exchange on the occasion of the last administrative elections in Palermo because he had been intercepted in a conversation with Francesco Lombardo , candidate for the Council of Brothers of Italy. " You personally get a few votes here, you do ", so the mafioso from Corso dei Mille reassured him in the face of the request for support - not at all veiled - made by the man fromGiorgia Meloni , who in return would have promised favors in the field of private construction and urban planning: " I'm in the urban planning commission... I'm in private construction, you understand that as soon as there's a problem here I jump.. And you call me... ". Vella was then released from prison by the Court of Review because the crime was classified as electoral corruption.

Returning to the mandates, it is vitally important for the investigators to keep their attention on the Porta Nuova mandate which, according to some wiretaps, is allegedly headed by Salvatore Milano , brother of Nunzio . With the release of Tommaso Lo Presti , alias "the long", which took place in April 2020, the mandate of Porta Nuova has seen a change. In fact, in January 2021, under the direction of Lo Presti, the definitive handover of the district cash register would have taken place between Incontrera and Giuseppe Autori , a fugitive since last July 6 after having managed to escape the "Vento" blitz.

As for the Noce, the name in the spotlight is that of Franco Picone , arrested in 2006 in Operation Gotha which led to the arrest of Bernardo Provenzano . Even at the Noce they were released from prison. Among these are Pierino Di Napoli , who returned to Palermo in November 2020 after a long period of detention in San Gimignano. In the district of Pagliarelli, however, Francesco Annabella , Giuseppe and Antonio La Innusa are free again . At Arenella-Acquasanta Stefano Fidanzati , who returned to freedom in 2018, continues to exert considerable influence.

Finally, in San Lorenzo, the "old" advances and there is always one name: Biondino. In circulation is the nephew of Salvatore Biondino , Giuseppe , old right-hand man and driver of Totò Riina .

As Dia points out, it is important to remember that "the traditional status of 'man of honor' is permanent, it implies an unconditional sharing of the aims pursued by the criminal association to which he belongs and is interrupted only with death or with the choice to collaborate with justice. They are recognized as having the authority deriving from a significant influence on the territory, even in the absence of a formal investiture".

In short, there are many important names. And they foreshadow that, despite the operations, the raids and the arrest of the superb Matteo Messina Denaro , Cosa nostra - in this case from Palermo - continues its business and tries to reorganize itself, witnessing a generational change which, however, always calls historical names of the Palermo mafia.