Letter from Rome

Before the fall of the Most Serene Republic to Napoleon's invading army in 1797, Venice built its glory, power and immense beauty on the silk and spice trades in an already globalized economy. Those days are long gone. For some time now, the city has served as a backdrop for the dreams of its countless visitors, from tourists lost in the low-cost holiday crowds to the world economy's new masters. Of the latter, American billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is due to marry former Fox News television host Lauren Sanchez in the Floating City at the end of June. However, some Venetians are refusing to welcome the world's third-richest person and his crowd of ultra-wealthy guests, who Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported were due to arrive for several days of festivities aboard nine luxury yachts.

In the lead up to the wedding, banners emblazoned with the message "No Space for Bezos" have been unfurled from the bell tower of the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore and the famous Rialto Bridge, flyers bearing the slogan "Venice is not for sale, Venice is not for rent" have been distributed along the canals, and anti-Bezos posters and graffiti have appeared on the walls. More spectacular actions were planned for the arrival of the billionaire, who is involved in the space industry and has reconciled with Donald Trump, re-elected as US president in 2024 and criticized by his opponents for a harsh authoritarian drift. The program for the wedding, scheduled between Thursday, June 26 and Saturday, June 28, remains secret for now, with all contractors bound by strict confidentiality agreements.

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