What is known about Jeff’s marriage in Venice

With an estimated $ 231 billion fortune, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and owner of the American newspaper The Washington Post, chose Venice to marry journalist and pilot Lauren Sánchez, his bride since 2023.

Scheduled for this week in the Laguna city, the event generated a lot of expectation on the part of the public, both for the high luxury involved and for the reactions it has caused in the Italian city, after facing increasing resistance from residents and activists.

Read more: Jeff Bezos requests the sale of up to $ 5 billion in Amazon shares

How will the wedding be?

To date, the ceremony site remains unconfirmed. The press speculates three main possibilities: 127 -meter Superior Koru, the monastery on the private island of San Giorgio Maggiore, or the scola Grande della Misericordia, a 14th century building in Cannaregio.

According to the US press, the billionaire celebration is expected to last from three to four days, between June 26 and 28, bringing together about 200 to 250 guests from the world of entertainment, politics and finances. Cogitated names include Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, Katy Perry and Ivanka Trump.

Protests

With all the movement in the city, protests against the marriage began, led by the group “No Space For Bezos”. The group’s main criticism is the “symbolic privatization” of the city. Protesters argue that marriage represents another episode of an exclusionary luxury tourism model, which turns Venice into showcase for the super rich, at the cost of the welfare of the local population.

Venice has been experiencing a crisis aggravated by excessive tourism for decades. The island suffers from the increase in sea level together to the large volume of tourists. In addition, the number of visitors contributed to the existing problems of the city, such as the housing crisis and the exodus of residents, in the face of the transformation of residential real estate into temporary accommodations.

In response to this scenario, the city began to pay for a tourist entry fee on certain days to try to contain the flow. The value ranges from 5 to 10 euros per visitor over 14 years old. The historic center of the city, where much of this flow is concentrated, has an area of ​​approximately 6.5 km².

“If you can rent Venice, you can pay more taxes”

The marriage of Bezos and Sánchez became the center of attention because of these reasons. The “No Space For Bezos” movement has spread tracks by sights such as the Rialto Bridge and the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore with messages such as: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more taxes”, in free translation.

Criticism also points to the environmental impacts of the arrival of yachts and executive jets. According to the Governor of Veneto, Luca Zaia, approximately 90 private jets are expected to land at airports in the region, which can generate up to 48 million euros in revenue for local companies.

Change of plans

Initially, the post-ceremony party would be held at Mercy, a central and popular area for nightlife. However, with the protests, the plan has been changed for security reasons and to avoid manifestations. According to information from Reuters, The reception should now occur in Arsenale, in a fourteenth century shipyard in the district of Castello. The place is surrounded by water, which is inaccessible by land when the bridges rise.

For the leader of the “No Space For Bezos” movement, Tommaso Cacciari, the change is an achievement: “The news that Bezos fled from Mercy is a great victory for us,” he said. The group also announced new protests for Saturday, with planned blocks in the city’s channels, bridges and streets.

The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, said at a press conference last Friday (20) that he will have to “apologize to bezos.” Moreover, he said he expects the founder of Amazon to come anyway and that not all Venetians think as the protesters.

(with NPR and CNN)