The Man Who Turned Cosa Nostra Into a Regime of Terror
Salvatore Riina, known as Totò Riina, was not just a Mafia boss. He was the man who transformed Cosa Nostra into a structure ruled by fear, violence, and total control. Born in Corleone in 1930, he grew up in poverty and brutality, entering the criminal world at a young age under the protection of Luciano Liggio, alongside Bernardo Provenzano. His early life was marked by violence and survival, and by the time he was still very young, he had already committed his first murder. Prison did not change him — it hardened him.
When he returned to Corleone, Riina became one of the most ruthless members of the Corleonesi clan. He took part in the elimination of the faction loyal to Michele Navarra, helping Liggio seize power through a campaign of blood that left dozens dead. But Riina was not just a soldier. He was calculating, patient, and ambitious. While others focused on local control, he understood that the future of the Mafia lay in money, international trafficking, and absolute dominance inside the organization.
After Liggio’s arrest, Riina gradually became the real power behind the Corleonesi. He built alliances, controlled kidnappings and extortion, and entered the massive business of heroin trafficking. Step by step, he began reshaping the balance within Cosa Nostra. Rivals like Gaetano Badalamenti, Giuseppe Di Cristina, and Giuseppe Calderone were eliminated or replaced. Riina did not seek balance — he sought total control.
That control became clear with the outbreak of the Second Mafia War. In 1981, Riina ordered the murders of Stefano Bontate and Salvatore Inzerillo, triggering a wave of violence unlike anything seen before. Hundreds were killed. Many disappeared forever, victims of lupara bianca, their bodies destroyed, erased. Entire families were targeted. Loyalty was no guarantee of survival — even allies could be eliminated if Riina began to suspect them. Under his rule, Cosa Nostra became something different: a system of organized terror.
The violence was not limited to internal enemies. Riina’s strategy expanded into open conflict with the State. Judges, police officers, politicians, and journalists became targets. Among the victims were Mario Francese, Boris Giuliano, Cesare Terranova, Piersanti Mattarella, Pio La Torre, Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, and Rocco Chinnici. These were not random killings — they were part of a clear message: no one was untouchable.
By the early 1990s, Riina had become the undisputed leader of Cosa Nostra — the so-called “capo dei capi”. When the Maxi Trial convictions were confirmed in 1992, he chose direct war against the Italian State. The result was a series of attacks that marked modern Italian history: the Capaci massacre, where Giovanni Falcone, his wife, and three escort officers were killed, and the Via d’Amelio massacre, where Paolo Borsellino and his escort lost their lives. These were followed by bombings in Florence, Rome, and Milan. Civilians were killed. Cultural heritage was targeted. Riina had crossed a line — this was no longer Mafia violence, but terrorism.
After nearly twenty-four years as a fugitive, Riina was arrested in Palermo on 15 January 1993. He did not resist. By then, he had become both a legend within the underworld and a symbol of fear for the entire country. He was sentenced to twenty-six life sentences and spent the rest of his life under strict prison conditions, including the 41-bis regime, designed for the most dangerous Mafia leaders.
Even in prison, Riina never admitted anything. He denied the existence of Cosa Nostra, denied every crime, and rejected the testimonies of informants. He portrayed himself not as a boss, but as a victim.
This is not just a defense — it is a strategy. After his arrest, Riina consistently tried to rewrite his role, shifting from executioner to scapegoat.
The importance of this footage lies exactly here: the contrast between what he says and what has been proventhrough trials, testimonies, and decades of investigations.
Before he became the most feared boss in Italy, there was a man who shaped his rise and taught him how power truly worked.