Berlusconi and the last race

Wednesday, 7 August 2013. An Italian newspaper reveals details of Silvio Berlusconi last attempt to escape from imprisonment.

Silvio Berlusconi, almost ready for the tour

After the Giro d'Italia (the Italian version of the French cycling race Tour de France, which took place in May 2013), according to right-wing newspaper Libero, Italy is going to witness another country-wide event, the Giro della Libertà (i.e. Tour of Freedom in English), a race meant to keep Silvio Berlusconi away from prison (if he's fast enough), after his conviction to a four-year prison term for tax fraud.

What are the details of the tour? The Knight was quotes saying «Until 15 August [Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary], I'll stay put,» to his inner circle he met at his residence in Rome Palazzo Grazioli, «but then I'll make a bang.», before moving on to his villa in Arcore. The objective of all this fuss? Obtain the presidential pardon from head of state Giorgio Napolitano (we assume).

Berlusconi adores billboards, on this one he pledges
to ditch the property tax (IMU)

After the protest in Rome (when Silvio plead for his pardon and professed his innocence), the army of employees and fans - starting from Daniela Santanchè and Giuliano Ferrara - is already at work on what the article calls “the most impressive media hype ever seen”. No time for jokes or jests, at stake is the freedom of the leader, who could be eventually arrested by October 15, or even earlier. So they have to move fast.

«The 6x3 billboards are ready, the skies will be covered with banners that read “Silvio free” pulled by planes which engines are already being warmed up, to fly over all the coasts of Italy» say the right wing newspaper web page, since Silvio Berluscoi's campaign is going show up where the Italians are in August: at the beach, where the media tycoon will be staging rallies and public speeches. A new battle in the twenty years' war.

Francesca Pascale and Daniela Santanchè,
two of Berlusconi's women, protesting in favour of their leader (and boyfriend)

Stages of the tour are the most renowned seaside resorts: Riccione, Sabaudia, Portofino, Sorrento, Forte dei Marmi, Capalbio and – of course – Sardinia, where the former prime minister could be retiring with his girlfriend Francesca Pascale - in the magnificent Villa Certosa - to gather his forces in anticipation of the fight.

The Tour of Freedom comes after the word Freedom had been used virtually for anything by Berlusconi's supporters, starting from the People of Freedom (the billionaire's party which – by the way – will be defunct by September, when Forza Italia will come kicking in), the Circles of Freedom (created by redhead and long-legged Vittoria Michela Brambilla, and then killed off), the Army of Freedom, the Freedom TV (again a creature of sexy Michela), end so on.

No surprise if Berlusconi's supporters associate the name of their leader with freedom! Berlusconi pledged not to flee Italy, but to make sure his passport has been seized by Italian authorities.

Libero defined Silvio Berlusconi a “seafaring Savonarola”, most possibly forgetting how did the Dominican friar end up... will it be a prophecy?