With less than 100 days left until the 2016 Summer Olympics land in Rio de Janeiro, the city scrambles to finish construction all the while trying to deal with a fractured economy, political unrest and the statistical fact that Brazil is the murder capital of the world.
The country is mired in an economic depression not seen since the 1930’s and the country’s president and other politicians all face impeachment and prison. Riots in the street don’t seem all that far away to many Brazil watchers. Brazil is a mess in many more ways than one. Gun fights and shootouts happen several times a day and over 40,000 people a year are murdered in Brazil just through gun violence. This doesn’t even count all of the other murders that happen without the aid of guns. Of the list of the world’s top 50 cities with the most murders every year, 22 of those cities on the list are in Brazil. In all, nearly 65,000 people are killed and murdered in Brazil in an average year. There have been less people killed in the five year Syrian civil war.
Brazil’s Rivaldo, considered one of the greatest soccer players in the world, had issued many dire warnings to those who are looking to come to Brazil for the Olympic Games. “Things are getting uglier here every day. 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 political mess in our Brazil.”
Things must be pretty bad there if divine intervention is the only thing that will improve the situation.
The more affluent who intend to attend the Games in August know exactly how dangerous Brazil is. Most are bringing their own security forces as well as their own medical staff. Many international organizations have been scrambling to establish security and medical facilities in advance of the Games.
The gangs rule the cities and there are over 9,000 police officers in Rio alone. The nation’s justice system is extremely slow and police violence and corruption is widespread. Add all of this to the unceasing political unrest and the grinding poverty and there is nothing left but a country ready to explode.
PHOTO CREDITS: Reuters / Latin News Today / The Guardian (London) / Pixabay