On October 2, 2009, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the steelworker-turned-president of a booming Brazil, broke into tears when Rio de Janeiro was named to host the 2016 Olympics.
Today, with Brazil immersed in twin political and economic crises, few seem to be thinking about the opening ceremony in Maracana Stadium in 132 days.
Current President Dilma Rousseff is fighting for her political life amid a deep recession, impeachment proceedings, protests and a corruption scandal in which the once high-flying Lula, her predecessor and mentor, faces charges.
The International Olympic Committee said the other day that it was “monitoring the political developments currently affecting the country”, but that it was confident Brazil would put on an “excellent” Olympics.
The Rio organising committee has stressed that it is working with “100% private” funds.
“Even if the current political situation in Brazil is getting a lot of attention, the organising committee continues to work every day on the preparations,” according to a spokesman.
But the timing is less than ideal.
Predicting the congressional calendar is an inexact science, but if events unfold as Rousseff’s opponents plan, the president may be facing an impeachment trial in the Senate on May 3, the day the Olympic torch arrives in the capital Brasilia.
Adding to the confusion, it is unclear who the sport minister currently is.
The incumbent, George Hilton, had to quit his party when it ditched the ruling coalition last week.
But his move to join a smaller party allied with Rousseff may not save his job.
Presidential chief of staff Jaques Wagner said on Wednesday that it would be “opportune” to give the job to someone else.
What once seemed a far-away corruption investigation centred on state oil company Petrobras is creeping closer to the Games.
Prosecutors claimed last week that they had evidence that construction giant Odebrecht, one of the companies at the heart of the scandal, had paid bribes for two projects directly linked to the Olympics, the upgrades of the Rio subway and port.
The company has now promised to co-operate with investigators, potentially lifting the lid on a far-reaching graft network.
It is all very far removed from a triumphant Lula’s speech in Copenhagen on the day Rio beat Tokyo, Madrid and even US President Barack Obama’s hometown Chicago for the coveted hosting rights.
“Brazil is living an excellent moment. We have worked hard in recent decades. We have an organised and powerful economy,” he said, in those heady days of an emerging markets boom that has now gone bust.
“Rio is ready. Those who have given us this opportunity will not regret it.”
The verdict on that will come on August 21, when the Olympic flame is extinguished.
Prashanth
