First Zika, Now This: The Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games Could Get Messy If More Corpses Wash Up On The Beach
The Rio summer Olympic Games, planned years in advance, were nearly canceled because of various health and safety concerns for Rio de Janeiro. Zika was the greatest concern earlier this year, as the mosquito-borne disease causes massive birth defects in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. It was determined the area would not lose the chance to host the summer Olympics. Health officials claimed the risk of Zika would not be that great, according to NBC News. Dr. João Grangeiro, chief medical officer, explained.
“It is worth knowing that the incidence of the mosquito that transmits the virus is extremely low in August and September, which is winter in Brazil and the period in which the Rio 2016 Games will take place,”
Rio de Janeiro has more problems than Zika though. A foot and some skin from a woman or teenage girl have washed up on the beach just a few yards away from the planned location of the beach volleyball competition. NBC News reports that parts of a corpse washed up on the beach, and there seems to be no way to investigate because police are on strike. The financial issues that led police and firefighters to strike are yet another problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw_gGU1nDXo
Rio de Janeiro is simply in a state of catastrophe. Their budget has failed and there are no funds for anything until the federal government sends $860 million promised for the event. Police and firefighters are on strike because they are not getting paid and working conditions are rough. They have apparently run out of water and toilet paper at the station, and next week, their patrol cars are expected to run out of gas, with no funds to buy more. Police are protesting at the airport with a huge sign, warning travelers to enter at their own risk.
“Welcome To Hell. Police and firefighters don’t get paid. Whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.”
The summer Olympic Games could be quite dangerous for travelers this year. Robberies are up by 43 percent. Large numbers of police are being killed in fights with drug gangs in impoverished communities, and 40 percent of Rio lives in poverty. NPR explains the situation.
“The economy is unraveling and Brazil already has high levels of poverty. Kids are sleeping rough on the streets here. Tens of thousands of people in Rio de Janeiro state are losing their jobs. People who would have been in their families’ first generation to go to university are now trying to find jobs to make ends meet.”
“When you look at who in Brazil will benefit from the Games, who is making money, you see that a lot of new infrastructure has been funneled to already wealthy areas. Thousands of poor people who live in favelas have been displaced to make way for Olympic infrastructure.”
The summer Olympic Games are in immediate jeopardy unless they receive funding immediately. Governor Francisco Dornelles told the newspaper O Gllobo about their economic difficulties. NBC reported the quote.
“I’m optimistic about the games, but I have to show reality, We can have a great Olympics, but if some steps aren’t taken, it can be a big failure.”
In Rio de Janeiro the soup kitchens are closing due to lack of funds, according to Fox News. Gang violence escalates and the police and firefighters have no funds at all to go after them. Hospitals also lack funding according to NPR. What sort of Rio summer Olympic Games can be hosted under these conditions?
Is Rio de Janeiro able to host the summer Olympic Games, or would money budgeted for that have been better spent on basic services?
[Image by Catarina Belova/Shutterstock]
