The Corleonesi were very sneaky their enemies didn't know what hit them. They didn't even know how many members the Corleonesi had Riina also used the rules against them or just changed them lol..
Riina was illiterate but it sounded like he was smart to a point if he was able to pull off a coup right from underneath some of the most powerful organized crime families in the world at the time. We mentioned Badalamenti and Bontade, who else were some big earners during this time? Denaro is a billionaire but at this time he was not the boss.