The mayor of Rosario, Pablo Javkin, speaks to the media in front of the supermarket belonging to Antonela Roccuzzo’s family.
Photo: Franco Trovato Fuoco / EFE
According to the Argentine judicial authorities, the attack on the supermarket of Lionel Messi’s in-laws in Rosario sought to attract attention and create an environment of intimidation. Last Friday, those in charge of the investigation assured that this action was aimed at “generating intimidation and public impact.”
They also indicated that the event was far from a direct threat to the player or his family. In an interview for Radio Cadena 3, Jorge Baclini, chief prosecutor for the province of Santa Fe, stated that “it is clear that (the attack) wants to create a commotion. Beyond the national and international public repercussion, it generates intimidation”.
“There is nothing to indicate that they wanted to intimidate or demand something from the Roccuzzo family. They used something close to Lionel Messi to ensure a wide spread. And with that the message reached the whole world,” he added.
It should be remembered that in the early hours of last Thursday, two men on a motorcycle shot at a supermarket owned by the parents of Antonela Roccuzo and left a manuscript threatening the player. “Messi we are waiting for you. Javkin is a narco, he is not going to take care of you ”.
Pablo Javkin is the mayor of Rosario, a city of more than a million inhabitants that currently leads the list of homicides in the country. According to official data reviewed by the AFP agency, in 2022 this town had a rate of 22 murders per 100,000 inhabitants.
Background
It is not the first time that threats from illegal armed groups have turned against footballers. In 2013, midfielder Maxi Rodríguez retired from European football to return to Newells and two years later he suffered threats at his grandmother’s house. “The classic or bullets”, was the message that was left days before a game against Rosario Central.
In 2017, defender Javier Pinola also received “threatening” messages when he left Rosario Central to sign for River Plate. “Pinola traitor” and “An eye for an eye”, could be read near the school of his children.
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