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Lionel Messi received an ominous threat from unknown gunmen when they opened fire on his in-laws’ supermarket in his hometown of Rosario. The attackers fired shots through the shop window of his inlaws’ business and left a cardboard note that read:  “Messi, we’re waiting for you. Javkin is also a drug trafficker, so he won’t take care of you.”

Exactly why the gunmen chose to attack and threaten Messi and his family is unsure, but the Javkin they were referring to is Rosario mayor Pablo Javkin. The mayor has recently attacked federal authorities over what he called their failure to curb a surge in drug-related violence in Rosario, which is about 190 miles from Buenos Aires.

Celia Arena, justice minister for Santa Fe province, where Rosario is located, said the attack amounted to “terrorism” by a “mafia” group meant to intimidate the broader population.

Javkin is a left-leaning politician going up against the ruling Peronist party, and the has been outspoken regarding collusion between criminal gangs and federal security officials.

The store in question is in a crime-ridden part of Rosario, and the mayor says he has raised the levels of crime with federal and provincial law enforcement officials, but they have ignored his pleas. Whether this attack on one of Argentina’s most famous family businesses is meant to intimidate the mayor is unsure.

“Where are the ones who need to take care of us?” Javkin said. “It’s clear that those who have the weapons and have the possibility of investigating the criminals aren’t doing it, and it’s very easy for any gang to carry out something like this.”

This is the first time the Messi family has received threats, and authorities are looking at security footage in order to identify the culprits. Messi himself is not in the South American country at the moment, but regularly visits his hometown of Rosario.

Mayor Javkin has been quoted as saying that he “doubts everyone, even those who are supposed to protect us.”  Guess it’s a Southern hemisphere thing, so we understand what he means.

[source:theguardian]