By Iacopo Luzi and Siying Li
In Argentina, there is a passion that surpasses everything else: the passion for football.
Football is the main topic of discussion in almost every bar in Buenos Aires. The first article on television news often concerns the results of the last match. The love of sports is evident throughout the city.
Supporters fill the stadiums and each match becomes a great spectacle: chants, flags, chants and smoke bombs. This is football in Argentina.
However, beyond the passion, certain dark shadows obscure this sport. Some people have managed to turn their passion for football into an illegal business.
These people are called “Barra Bravas”.
Many people think that these organized fan groups are just violent troublemakers who sometimes create trouble before and after a football match.
The Barra Bravas phenomenon was born in the 70s. Decades later, the nature of these groups has worsened due to the increasing amounts of money in the world of football.
Today, like organized criminal organizations, Barra Bravas groups generate around 300,000 pesos per month, according to some Argentine government statistics.
After his election, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said he would do something about the Barra Bravas phenomenon, but no concrete steps have been taken to put an end to these fan-led soccer gangs.
Top photo: La Bombonera or Estadio Alberto J. Armando is the stadium located in the La Boca district of Buenos Aires (Iacopo Luzi/MedillReports)
