WikiLeaks Reveal Hidden Toll Of Bunga-Bunga Parties

The latest WikiLeaks scandal has rocked the world, provoked a response from Sarah Palin, and set in motion an international rumor mill. But we know what you really care about: what does this mean for bunga-bunga?

Answer: things look grim. According to the Guardian, one cable leaked by WikiLeaks reveals that too many bunga-bunga parties have taken their toll on Silvio Berlusconi‘s once-robust physique. A “politician friend” says in the cable, originally from October 2009, that a medical checkup showed the Italian PM to be “a complete mess.” He added that “frequent late nights and penchant for partying hard mean he does not get sufficient rest” and “we are all worried about his health.” An aide also said that Berlusconi’s various scandals had rendered him “physically and politically weak” and “not energetic.”

The cables also allege that Berlusconi and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are more than just buddies, and that, indeed, they may have a “financially enriching relationship.” In a January 2009 cable, the US ambassador from Rome wrote that Berlusconi might be acting as a “mouthpiece” for Putin in exchange for monetary gain, and that “Berlusconi and his cronies are profiting personally and handsomely from many of the energy deals between Italy and Russia.” The Guardian paraphrases:

Personal ties between the two were close, “with Putin’s family spending long visits at the Berlusconi family mansion in Sardinia at Berlusconi’s expense”. Berlusconi in turn has the rare privilege of being invited to Putin’s dacha in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for what the embassy speculated on one occasion would be a “blow-out party”. A contact in Berlusconi’s office told the embassy of “exchanges of lavish gifts”.

It’s not clear what these gifts were, or whether they were handed out by women in sexy Santa costumes, but I think it’s safe to assume that “blow-out” is just another translation of “bunga-bunga.”

Silvio Berlusconi’s Health Hit By Party Lifestyle, WikiLeaks Cable Says [Guardian]
WikiLeaks Cables: Berlusconi ‘Profited From Secret Deals’ With Putin [Guardian]

Earlier: What Are “Bunga-Bunga” Parties, And Why Is Berlusconi Hosting Them?