Pozzuoli is a seaside city with a long history as a major port and a strategic hub in the Mediterranean. Shaped by migration, labor, and identity, it is now also a place where neglect, real estate speculation, and institutional delays have become impossible to ignore.
Pozzuoli’s residents feel increasingly isolated. Those who can afford it are away on vacation, while those who remain are forced to watch the city trot out the usual clichés: centenary celebrations, the endless veneration of pizza, and the now-constant debates over dough, hydration levels, and preparation methods. Meanwhile, a simple meal made from flour, salt, oil, yeast, and water has become almost unaffordable; even basic necessities now come at a prohibitive cost. Indeed, while the city falls apart and common sense and oversight seem to have vanished, spectacular concerts and major events are staged amid the traffic and chaos.
Pozzuoli is facing an unacceptable emergency. For a week now, many residents have been without water. Children, the elderly, and the sick have been forced to leave their homes, and in some cases, even obtaining medicines and first-aid supplies has proven difficult. There are also reports that some accommodation providers have raised their prices during the crisis, taking advantage of a situation already marked by hardship.
In light of events in Naples and the surrounding area, it is becoming increasingly clear that the region has been left to face its problems alone. Once again, it is the very people long labeled as “brigands” who are demonstrating strength by defending their land, their survival, their dignity, their beauty, and their history.
This sense of isolation is nothing new. And let’s tell it once for all, that even during the “Four Days of Naples,” the local population was left to fend for itself, while the Americans — slow to act — remained trapped in a maze of their own confusion and delays.
In any case, this area has always attracted immense global attention.
It is also worth noting that Pozzuoli has submitted its bid to become the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art for 2028, under the title “The City of Creative Fragilities.”
If this project is to have any real meaning, it must bring tangible benefits to the local population and actively involve local artists, institutions, and associations, rather than serving external interests that seek to profit from the area only to vanish once the resources have been extracted.
Returning to the issue of global attention: that alone is not enough. What is needed now is responsibility, protection, and action.
Yesterday, a protest march set off from Largo delle Palazzine in Pozzuoli, passed through the Rione Terra district, and continued toward the port. Residents demanded protection and safety for an area that has too often been left at the mercy of various speculative interests.
The protest also addressed the 2027 America’s Cup project, as construction work is already exacerbating conditions for the area and its inhabitants.
For the moment, data released by ANSA indicates that 125 buildings in Pozzuoli have been declared unsafe for occupancy. In total, 729 families have been evacuated or forced to leave their homes, affecting 1,995 people who are currently receiving assistance. Of these, 1,843 have found independent accommodation, 85 are staying in hotels, and 67 are being housed at the PalaTrincone sports center. Furthermore, 780 applications have been submitted for the Independent Accommodation Allowance (CAS), involving 2,033 people — including 376 individuals over the age of 65 and 335 people with disabilities.
It certainly seems that if the residents of Pozzuoli do not flee because of the earthquake, the authorities will help them leave their land. While safety is undoubtedly a factor, we cannot help but harbor suspicions; we fear this process is being encouraged to facilitate the unfettered exploitation of the area by outsiders — a territory that, alas, is constantly violated and has finally reached its breaking point!
