Piersanti Mattarella
Piersanti Mattarella (May 24, 1935 - January 6, 1980) was an Italian politician. He was assassinated by the Mafia while he held the position of President of the Regional Government of Sicily.
Biography
Mattarella was born in Castellammare del Golfo, in the province of Trapani. He was the son of Bernardo Mattarella, a member of Christian Democracy (DC); his brother Sergio is also a politician.
He received a Christian-oriented education by the Jesuits. In 1960 he became a national leader of the Azione Cattolica, and subsequently became an important regional member of DC. Inspired by the politics of Giorgio La Pira, he adhered to the more progressive approach of national leader Aldo Moro. In 1967 he became deputy to the Regional Parliament of Sicily, a position he held until 1978, when he was elected President of Sicily.
Two years later, he was killed by mafia in Palermo. Initially believed to be an act of terrorism, his assassination was probably spurred by its strong commitment against the relationships of numerous Sicilian politicians (mostly members of DC itself) with the Mafia. The latter's involvement was confirmed by the Mafia turncoat (pentito) Tommaso Buscetta. The hit team consisted of Nino Madonia, Vincenzo Puccio and Pippo Gambino.
According to pentito Francesco Marino Mannoia, CD-politician Giulio Andreotti contacted Mafia boss Stefano Bontade to try to prevent the Mafia from killing Piersanti Mattarella. Mattarela wanted to clean up the government’s public contracts racket that benefitted Cosa Nostra, passing a law enforcing the same building standards used in the rest of Italy, thereby making the Mafia's building schemes illegal.[1] Bontade and other mafiosi felt betrayed by Mattarella who used to be responsive to Mafia interests (his father Bernardo Mattarella was rumored to be associated with the Mafia).[2]
According to Francesco Marino Mannoia the killers of Mattarella were Salvatore Federico, Francesco Davì, Santo Inzerillo and Antonio Rotolo.[3]
Andreotti’s attempt failed. After the murder of Mattarella, Andreotti again contacted Bontade to try to straighten things out. However, according to Marino Mannoia, Bontade told Andreotti: "we are in charge in Sicily, and unless you want the whole DC canceled out, you do as we say."[4]
See also
References
- ^ Mob Rule - Fighting the Mafia and Renewing Sicilian Culture - Review, National Review, October 1, 2001
- ^ Dickie, Cosa Nostra, p. 423-24
- ^ (Italian) Indictment of Giulio Andreotti
- ^ Stille, Excellent Cadavers, p. 391
- Dickie, John (2004). Cosa Nostra. A history of the Sicilian Mafia, London: Coronet, ISBN 0-340-82435-2
- Stille, Alexander (1995). Excellent Cadavers. The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic, New York: Vintage ISBN 0-09-959491-9
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