Three people arrested for threatening Argentine footballer Ángel Di María

Three individuals were apprehended in Argentina on Wednesday for issuing threats against Argentine footballer Ángel Di María and his family, Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich disclosed.

One of the suspects, already under investigation for drug trafficking prior to the arrest, admitted involvement along with two accomplices in the threats directed at Di María’s family.

On Monday, an incident occurred at Di María’s family home in Rosario, northeastern Argentina, where gunshots were fired from a passing car, accompanied by a written warning to the World Cup champion cautioning him against returning to his hometown team.

The incident unfolded after Di María, currently contracted with Portuguese club Benfica until June, expressed a desire to conclude his professional career at Rosario Central, where he initially launched his career.

In response to the death threats, Di María expressed his concern, stating: “I have my family and what was happening affects me.”

On Instagram Stories, the soccer icon shared an image of the Rosario flag with the caption: “We ask for peace.”

Rosario Central condemned the attack on March 25, emphasizing in a statement: “We cannot let [someone] frighten footballers or attack them or their relatives.”

Rosario stands out as one of Argentina's most perilous cities. Official figures from the government of Santa Fe province indicate a homicide rate of 22 per 100,000 residents in 2022. By comparison, New York City's homicide rate in 2018 was 3.5 per 100,000 residents, according to the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.

With backing from the central government, the Santa Fe government launched “Plan Bandera” [“Plan Flag”] earlier this year to combat “narcoterrorism.”

“We’re pursuing the mafias, the drug traffickers, and extortionists to ensure the safety of all Rosarinos and all Argentinians,” Bullrich announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, while revealing the arrests.