It’s that time again, when the world’s best athletes get together and compete for their country's honor. The Olympics are to be held in Brazil, according to a decision reached by the Olympic committee in 2009, when the political and social climate in Brazil was better than it is today. Seven years later and the situation in Brazil is not looking so great anymore. Here are five reasons (even though there are plenty more than five) why we should not support the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
1. Monumental corruption.
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More than half of the legislature is persecuted for serious crimes as reported by Transparency Brazil. Even the president is being impeached for hiding budget deficits in the country’s funds. There are practically two presidents now: Dilma Rousseff, who is being tried, and the interim president, Michel Temer, whose popularity is quite low to begin with.
2. Zika
The Zika virus is not being handled properly in Brazil. How could it, if politicians are busy kidnapping or killing people? This article by CBS News explains how the government is in such mayhem that they came to a shortage of insecticide and had to ration it. What does the government think is going to happen if half a million tourists show up to watch the games? That the mosquitos will look the other way and not bite them?
3. A lacking healthcare system (despite Zika).
Funding is not being spread according to the demonstrated needs. A pediatrician monitoring babies with microcephaly requested $7.5 million, but has only seen $300,000.
4. Unemployment rates make Brazil a difficult place to live without poverty.
Amongst all the problems that Brazil is going through, unemployment plays a big role. The current unemployment rate stands at 11.3 percent.
5. Clearly Brazilians aren’t too thrilled.
Which to choose? Allocate funds to develop better schools, or build a temporary stadium for Olympic beach volleyball? This is such a hard decision! Since Brazilians are angry that funds are being practically wasted, they will likely revolt. This is why more security forces are being expedited to Rio de Janeiro. Even if the highest concentration of soldiers will be in Rio, that means there will be less in other areas of the country, creating an opportunity for uprisings and violent protests.
