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Secret, Violent Anarchist Takes Over World

La Mano Negra (in English “The Black Hand”) was a supposed secret and violent Anarchist organization that was founded in Andalucia, Spain at the end of the 19th century. Although the local Anarchist groups affirm that they had nothing to do with this said organization, the police carried out a strong repression against anarchists based on four crimes committed by La Mano Negra at the end of 1882, and the first months of 1883. The results of the ensuing revolt was that 15 peasants were condemned to death, of which 7 where executed in the Plaza del Mercado in Jerez de la Frontera, on June 14 of 1884. The trial was covered by Leopoldo Alas Clarín for the Jerez newspaper El Día, who also reported on the condition of Andalusian peasants. Even today it’s not clear if La Mano Negra existed or if it was an invention of the government of Práxedes Mateo Sagasta to combat the revolts of the countryside in the south of Spain, as Vicente Blasco Ibáñez denounced in his novel La Bodega.

Embracing the spirit of this supposed secret and violent Anarchist organization, the band Mano Negra was formed in 1987 in Paris, France. A multiracial band fronted by singer and guitarist Manu Chao, the band became very influential in Europe during the early 90’s reaching mainstream in several countries including Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Afterwards the band tried entering the anglo market with no success. By 1992 the band got involved in different projects in Latin America that now are considered epic adventures. Cargo 92 was when the band traveled to several countries by ship and the Train of Ice and Fire that consisted in traveling to the deep and savage countryside of Colombia by train. Mano Negra split up around 1995 but still has a cult following to this day. After the split, Manu Chao went solo and took over the world . . .