“Welcome to Hell”
If you recently arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, host of the thirty-first Modern Olympic Games, it’s possible that you were greeted with this warning from local police and fire fighters as you stepped off the jet and onto Brazilian soil. For months now, the preparations for the upcoming Olympics have been plagued with scandal, crime, doubt, and fear, as leaders are constantly being shuffled, fired, and indicted for a menagerie of crimes and short-comings. One of the most crucial and disconcerting events to hit Rio has been the lack of funding for civil services, namely police and fire fighters, who have recently taken to strikes and protests.
Without a paycheck, police are given little incentive to report for duty, which has caused a recent spike in crime, including robbery in the Olympic village and murder. Brazil, which boasts the largest economy in Latin America, was once viewed as an idyllic and colorful paradise–a perfect place to host an Olympic Games; however, Brazil’s economy has taken a sharp downturn over the last several years. Hope of a successful Olympic Games is on the decline, just like the country’s economy, which shrank 5.4% in the first quarter of 2016. Brazilians are skeptical of the Games’ ability to do their country any economic good, despite the fact that an estimated 350,000 – 500,000 foreign tourists will be in the country this August and September.
The Games are partially funded by both the City of Rio de Janeiro and the State Government of Rio de Janeiro, both of which are currently broke. Earlier this month the state government declared a state of financial emergency and requested a financial bail-out which it is yet to receive. Francisco Dornelles, acting-governor of the state, told Brazilian newspaper O Globo, “I’m optimistic about the Games… but if some steps are not taken, it could be a big failure.” While Dornelles has requested 2.9 billion Brazilian real in aid (approximately $850), until the local government receives the money and can pay police again, the situation in Rio looks precarious.
While infrastructure appears less and less stable and construction deadlines are looming and being pushed back, such as the anticipated completion of a new city metro, slated to be completed a mere four days before the opening ceremonies on August 5th, Rio’s most prescient problem is security. Some police stations in Rio rely on donations from the public for basics such as toilet paper, pens, and printer paper. Others are unable to patrol because they cannot find the money for gasoline in their budgets. Police have not been paid overtime in six months, and will not be reimbursed for their service until the state or Rio de Janeiro receives more money.
Compounding to Rio’s problems, pieces of a mutilated human body washed up on Copacabana Beach, mere yards away from where Olympic beach volleyball will be held. The victim has not been identified but is believed to be a young woman, possibly a teenager or young adult. Rio witnessed a staggering 2,036 murders in the first four months of 2016 alone, which signifies and increase of 11% from this time last year.
Last week a hospital in Rio was stormed by 19 gunmen in an effort to free a local drug kingpin. Since his escape police have engaged in multiple shootouts in Rio leaving 10 dead, and causing up to 50 schools to shutter their windows for fear of stray bullets.
While an estimated 85,000 police officers and soldiers will be on-duty during the Olympics and Paralympics, some athletes that have already arrived have been targeted for robbery within the Olympic Village. Earlier in June members of the Australian Paralympic team were robbed at gunpoint within the village, which will be host to more than 15,000 athletes during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Perhaps if Dornelles receives his requested 2.9 billion real the city and state governments will be able to ebb the waves of violence and crime within the city. Until then, Rio seems to be slipping further into chaos, proving to be a challenge for not just the hosts, but all participant nations.
Is this going to FINALLY be the moment for the IOC to begin considering PERMANENT Host Cities? Ones that can both financially and technologically(and that means security-wise too) handle an event of this size?
They lost their chance when they voted for Atlanta .After 100 years it should have gone back to Athens & stayed with no expansion in numbers /major facilities. But thats not how world works now .
But do you have any suggestions about this golden place ?
While I’m not imagining one city alone, I do respect the idea of Athens retaining, perhaps, some kind of centennial honoring of the games thanks to its historical importance. But even Athens begs the question, “Were they EVER in any shape to handle the games financially or technologically then?” Or even now??? Especially in today’s terms. And Greece is in a pickle economically as is….and I can’t imagine the cost of 2004 was any help either with where they are at.
I’m imagining cities with established venues and infrastructure already. Ones that can handle the build up to the games. Guidelines would have to make sure certain “essential requirements” be met before they could be considered. Perfect scenario would be:… Read more »
There is an unprecedented effort by the DOJ to bring all global sport (& monies) under USA control. I’m expecting planeloads of officials to be rendited to Poland Syria Libya & persuaded to move everything to DC.
To ensure success -Bring Back The Mittster!
Just wait for Baghdad 2028!There is a reason some locals call Hell De Janeiro an endearing term…
The good:It’s too cold for Aedes Aegypti(ZIKA) reproduction.Some days the max was 15C!
The bad:All of the above is true.For a country out of war zone, Brazil has a terrible murder rate with over 50thousand/year(almost 60 thousand in 2014).
I’ve traveled the world on business. Rio is the only place I’ve worked where my client hired a personal body guard for me for my safety for my one week stay there.
I was there about 15 years ago for vacation and loved Rio for all its other wonderful qualities, despite the distinct aggressive vibe there. But even back then, when things weren’t nearly so bad as now, and petty crimes were much more prominent than murders, the Brazilian friend who I went with was constantly on my case to be more vigilant, not take my wallet out, etc, always hovering over me and told me that the locals targeted USAmericans and Europeans because they figured we had the most money (back then). One morning on a bus, I looked out the window and saw a group of kids mugging an elderly woman as busy Cariocas hustled by them on their way… Read more »
To clarify what I just said, the people of Rio and Brazil definitely may not immediately be part of the win-win scenario I painted, and may well be losers in the short run, but Zirin believes that the Olympics may help them in the longer run by exposing so much of the oppression and corruption that is holding their city and beautiful country back.
Im trying to look at this positively. Hopefully this will make the IOC pull their heads out and never award the Olympics to countries for political reasons. The only reason Rio got it (besides bribes) was because South America has never hosted.
BTW choosing places for political reasons doesn’t stop with the IOC (obviously), but it bugs me that the USOC kept picking subpar cities (Chicago & Boston) instead of the obvious better choice San Fran and LA.
Have any swimmers discussed this with the media. Like if they are nervous or not? Is anyone considering not going?
Hey, IOC, give back the massive payment you required Rio to cough up to bid on being Games host. But no, the host country will get fined more than that if they can’t pull it off. Big Catch-22 for hosts now. Who will sue whom when open water swimmers, sailors, rowers and triathletes end up with cholera, Zika, enterococcal infections, sepsis, or robbed, kidnapped or any other dozen combinations of these? Hmmm. Fun games for all. Sad for Brazil. I really hope I’m wrong.
maybe NBC could help bail them out financially. actually, nah. imagine the ratings of one of their storylines gets mugged or killed! :/(sarcasm)
You say sarcasm but like, media been having a field day with this for a minute. This is the best thing that could happen for them: tragedy.
Olympics is a scam. It still looks pretty and I still love watching our homies kill it, but we are not the winners here by any means at all.
I think Hillary should head down there and put up a bunch of “gun free zone” signs. That will stop the criminals, and no more problems! I should run for president
Then you could have men with guns protect you. Good idea.