There has not been a time where I have not studied Spanish. Through elementary school, into middle school, high school, and finally going to college (where I plan to minor in the language). I remember running through drill after drill, rehashing colors or numbers or clothes or whatever our unit for the month was. In middle school I finally learned the confusing verb conjugations; voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van. Then, in high school I learned about further intricacies in grammar, other verb tenses, and above all Spanish culture from Spain to Chile.

In my junior year my class and I were assigned a project that highlighted a city of our choice in any Spanish speaking country. Rio de Janeiro (The J pronounced like an H) was a hot topic for the majority of the class. All of the presentations were about the amazing beaches and the tourist destinations, the aim of the project. What I did not learn from any Spanish class, however, was what was actually occurring in Rio de Janeiro. I would not learn about the real situation for another year.

Rio de Janeiro, like so many other places, is dedicated to tourism. In fact, it is the leading tourist destination in Brazil for Brazilians and foreigners alike. Rio, once Brazil’s capital (now Brasília), created a lucrative position for capital. The city drew many companies, public and private, to the area. In so doing, parts of the city grew richer, while others fell far behind.

Rio de Janeiro, as most should know, is hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics. The Olympics, in my opinion, are unnecessary and unfair in an increasingly modern world. Rio is only the latest proof of that.

We are dealing with countries (like the US) who use technology to perfect their athletes. We are dealing with athletes and entire countries (Russia, namely) who must use drugs or other doping techniques to maintain a competitive edge compared to the developed world and their technologies. These issues are neither here nor there and are purely subjective.

What is not subjective, however, is the way that the Olympics and, further, the tourist and corporate industries have swept the city’s problems away and hidden them from prying eyes.When the issues are inevitably drawn out, they are normalized and rationalized. Quickly, the government makes excuses and false promises.

Rio’s poor cities are hidden away, often behind physical walls, from tourists and, more recently, athletes and Olympian enthusiasts. The drug wars that plague South America as a whole, take home in the impoverished towns that hundreds of thousands call home. The same communities have been abandoned by their own government. In turn, the citizens have had to fight drug traffickers in their own streets and eek out a tenuous survival fearing drugs, death, or the government finally taking notice and relocating families, communities, and homes. Due to the high odds, these people have adapted to survive. These people are resourceful. These people are strong and compassionate and helpful. These people are creative and intelligent.

Rio’s waters are polluted and despite promises to clean it up, nothing has been done. Now, athletes are facing crippling diseases that with little more than 3 tablespoons of swallowed water could destroy their careers. It is advised that athletes do not to swallow the water. Beaches have been closed for years due to this problem. Yet, the world reacts like this is not an issue. Polluted oceans affect the citizens and tourists in Rio, but they also affect the worldwide oceanic ecosystem.

Alongside Rio’s apathy towards its own citizens, drug trafficking, and contaminated waters, Rio houses the Zika virus and was often behind schedule on building the Olympian facilities. While the facilities were completed on time, they were often subpar. Take, for example, the building a Czech cyclist was staying in where rain poured in through the ceiling.

The Olympics are expensive. While this may provide a needed economic stimulus to a sagging economy, Rio shows this to be false. For years, the government has waged an unsuccessful war on drugs (helped by the USA), pledged to clean its oceans and beaches, and to take care of the poor and needy. None of this has happened. Most of the money goes towards projects like the Olympian facilities that benefit nobody outside of the elite rich or foreign tourists. Money needs to go towards the issues that are affecting thousands of impoverished people. There are some projects, either by the government itself or outside forces, like schools in select impoverished communities. However, often times these projects are intended to give foreigners a false sense that the government is doing all it can.

Rio hosting the Olympics was a mistake. The government does not have the best interest of everyone at heart. I refuse to watch the Olympics this year, because of Rio’s inaction. I refuse to contribute to a system that benefits only the elite and privileged, leaving everyone else (including the environment) behind in the dust.

Sources for further information:

http://www.sportingnews.com/athletics/news/rio-oly...

http://www.triplepundit.com/2016/08/years-advice-o...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro#Econo...