From north to south, a cruel and real Italy can no longer hide. It's not new to hear about the 'ndrangheta, the powerful Calabrian mafia and one of the largest criminal organizations in the world. But what lies behind it? The usual—some might think—a band of corrupt and corruptors who mingle and plot their next scams. However, as we delve deeper into the details surrounding the lives of Italian mafiosos, we discover that there's much, much more... There's, for example, the fugitive from justice in Venezuela who trades votes and oil with a prominent senator and who buys Petrobras shares with a brokerage in the Vatican, who, in turn, frequently meets with Pope John Paul II's chaplain. There's the non-profit organization of a Nigerian priest who negotiates pharmaceuticals on behalf of the bosses. There are the Chinese who, besides being shoe and clothing smugglers, are friends of the Freemasons, who launder millions for the 'ndrangheta through "humanist" foundations. All these plots, in one way or another, pass through Piana di Gioia Tauro and its port, a crossroads of half a century of republican history, from Andreotti to Berlusconi, of Masonic conspiracies, embezzled funds, and corrupt businessmen. Half a century of Piromalli history, the family that—amid murders and tragedies—transformed the old 'ndrangheta into a parallel power, where everything is dubious and uncertain.
