July 5, 2016

It’s a bit too late to be asking this question about the 2016 Summer Olympics with the opening ceremonies just one month away. However, almost daily, there is news coming out of Brazil about how unprepared the host country is for the world’s biggest, most important sporting competition. Earlier today CNN reported that ‘Rio police tell tourists they won’t be able to protect them’. On Monday, some 100 officers protested in the arrivals hall of Rio’s main international airport holding banners reading “Welcome to Hell” to demand unpaid salaries and overtime pay. Police have claimed to have not been paid for months and with violence on the rise in the second largest city in the country it’s scary to think what could happen without the protection of the police during the games. Even Brazilian soccer great Rivaldo is telling tourists to stay away from the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro because of the danger of endemic violence. “Things are getting uglier here every day,” Rivaldo wrote. “I advise everyone with plans to visit Brazil for the Olympics in Rio — to stay home. You’ll be putting your life at risk here. This is without even speaking about the state of public hospitals and all the Brazilian political mess. Only God can change the situation in our Brazil.” [Read more…]