Can you believe that some idiot on Facebook argued with me saying that big fugitives like Matteo Messina Denaro and Bernardo Provenzano could last decades on the run without any help from the government? That there was no corruption, that it was all due to their criminal contacts and money? I hope that moron is a member of this blog and is reading this.
I agree. Imo, the mafia without political and law enforcement protection wouldn't be a Mafia anymore, but little more than a street gang. Corrupt connections with the state are one of the main factors to differentiate mafia-type organizations from "normal" crime, like gangs etc.
