The political uncertainty boiling within the 2016 Olympic Games host nation Brazil shows no signs of simmering, even with the world’s largest competitive event now just 136 days away.
Brazil is in the middle of the worst recession it’s seen in 25 years, which does anything but belay growing concerns over whether the nation will be properly prepared for the Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) told CNNMoney this week that it is watching Brazil’s political environment ‘very closely.’
How the South American nation looks politically, economically and socially now is much different from how it appeared when it was awarded the Olympic Games bid back in 2009. “This was going to be the coming out party for Brazil,” says Paulo Sotero, director of the Brazil Institute at the Wilson Center. “This will probably be a scaled down party.”
Current Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, who began her 2nd term 14 months ago, is at risk of being impeached over allegations that she manipulated government accounts in order to disguise a growing national deficit.
The speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, agreed in December to open impeachment proceedings against her, but Rousseff maintains her innocence. “I have committed no irregularity. I will never resign,” she said.
“We don’t know if we’ll have this government or some other government when the Olympics arrive,” says Alberto Ramos, head of Latin America economic research at Goldman Sachs. “The country is getting increasingly socially and politically polarized and that’s not good.” (CNNMoney)
“I can’t think of an Olympics that’s been played out against such a volatile political and economic backdrop,” says Neil Shearing, chief emerging market economist at Capital Economics.
I do remember USA in the 90s, I remember people calling for impeachment. I also remember the President putting his had on the Bible swearing to uphold the laws of the United States and then committing perjury. That’s not people being anti-democratic, that’s people wanting the rule of law.
You’re wrong Bobo Gigi. Like you said you don’t know much about Brazil’s economy or politics.
Brazil is a solid democracy. Brazilians do not tolerate corruption although some are still blind or ignorant.
I don’t know very much about Brazil, Brazil economy, Brazilian politics and that story overall.
I just remark that it’s always the same side of the political scene which tries these pathetic impeachment procedures in the democratic countries. 😆 😆
Poor guys.
With of course always the help of the very conservative media and the world of finance.
Remember USA in the late 90s! 😆
These guys are definitely not friends with democracy.
They can’t even wait for the next elections anymore.
Bobo, this isn’t some group trying to throw out another group.
This scandal – “lavo cato” (Car Wash) – involves bribes being paid by construction companies to Petrobras, the Brazilian national petroleum company and then Petrobras kicking back some of that money back to elected officials. The practice has been going on for years and everybody – and I mean everybody – is implicated.
FYI, if Dima is impeached, the Presidency would go to the Speaker of the House Eduardo Cunha and he’s not in the same party as Rousseff. The problem is he’s been investigated, too.
This is corruption on a massive scale. It’s estimated that some $5.2 billion (USD) is unaccounted for.
Gee, Mexico was more stable than that in 1968. Both countries are about the same level economically The difference is Mexico trades more with the US and Brazil-China. I