State Of Emergency Declared As Healthcare Systems Cause Chaos

In the leadup to the Olympics in August 2016, Rio’s healthcare system has been hurt by budget shortfalls and a state of emergency was declared recently. This allows the state to release well needed emergency aid money to the hospitals and health clinics that need it. The state of emergency will last June, about a month and a half before the opening ceremonies will commence.

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Olympics Being Used As An Excuse To Evict People From Land

With the Olympics coming soon, preperations by the city are well under way to enhance the city as well as get it ready for the thousands of athletes and millions of tourists. One step that the city of Rio has taken has been acquiring land that has served as peoples houses and compensating the tenants. However, compensation has not always been up to par and comparable houses given to owners turn out to be under par as well.

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Inside Look At A Favela Being Removed For The Olympics

The Vila Autodromo favela has been all but removed from the area due to its location adjacent to the Olympic Park. The favela once considered safe is all but history. Photos show the stark contrast between the Rio with wealth to build new infrastructure versus the Rio without wealth who are living in horrible conditions and being evicted from their homes in certain instances.

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Rio’s Olympics is Not Helping Solve the Big Gap Between The Rich and the Poor

The gap of wealth and standard of living is only growing wider as the Olympics approach and much of the new infrastructure is being built has no impact on the over a million people that live in the city’s favelas. One area in particular, Barra da Tijuca, is a very well known hub for the weatlhy and the area is holding the core facilities of the Games. This means that the areas that need it more attention are not getting the money invested to uplift the area that should be invested. The socioeconomic aspects of the Olympics were not addressed a lot and it now shows.

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Rio’s Long Term Goals Of Hosting the Olympics

Rio is trying to use the Olympics to not only host a successful tournament, but also to upfilt a city in need of many improvements. Some of the urban goals that Rio de Janeiro have are
1. Combating Urban Sprawl
2. Improving Mass Transit
3. Building New Schools
4. Integrating The Cities’ Favelas into a More Useful Part Of The City

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Brazil Amid Recession In Lead Up To Olympics in 2016

When Rio was annouced as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2009, euphoria struck all around as the country was in the midst of an economy boom with the country flourishing all around. Fast forward six years and things look a bit more grim. With a recession is taking place in the host country and spending cuts are occuring just for the Olympics to be completed on budget, an Olympic Games without obstacles is looking less and less likely. Add in a trend of mega-sporting events going over their cost predictions and the upcoming Olympics have less of a renewed optimism then they did six years ago.

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Rio de Janerio’s Major Water Pollution Problem

Testing done by AP has revealed dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria from sewage produced by humans in Olympic and Paralympic venues that will use the ocean or bays nearby for their events. Waters have become so contaminated with waste that athletes competing in these conditions risk falling violently ill, up to the point that they would be unable to compete.

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PHOTOS

Five Issues That Must Be Addressed In Order for a Successful Rio Olympics

While Rio promised much to the Olympic Committee, they have failed to reach many of their aspirations. Instead they face significant problems in the city that could veer the Olympics in a negative direction.
1. Crime
2. Social Unrest
3. Pollution
4. Energy and Water Crisis
5. Infrastructure

 

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