Brazil: Rio violence will not affect World Cup
Reuters - Friday 26 November 2010, 13:00
RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Brazilian football authorities have promised that the 2014 World Cup will take
place in a "climate of normality" despite this week's violence
between police and drug gangs in Rio de Janeiro.
Organisers of the 2016 Olympic Games in the city also
expressed their faith in security measures.
At least 30 people have been killed this week in Rio in five
consecutive days of fighting.
The city will be a key venue when Brazil stages the 2014
World Cup and is widely tipped to host the final at the
Maracana. Two years later, it will become the first South
American city to host the Olympics.
"I ratify the confidence in the public authorities and
recognise the effort by the state government of Rio de Janeiro
with the aim of reducing urban violence," said Brazilian
Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira in a
statement.
"It can be seen that society is reacting strongly against
the incidents provoked by criminals, in a demonstration that
public opinion supports the security policies.
"As a consequence, I can assure the sporting community that
host city Rio de Janeiro will have the climate of normality
necessary to stage the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the World
Cup in 2014."
Brazilian authorities have claimed that recent attacks by
drugs gangs are a desperate response at police efforts to take
control of their turf in more than a dozen slum areas.
The local organising committee of the Rio Olympics also
promised a trouble-free games.
"The Rio 2016 committee has full confidence in the security
plans which have been elaborated jointly with the three levels
of government (municipal, state and federal) and presented to
the International Olympic Committee (IOC)," it said.
Urban crime is a major worry for both events.
Gang violence has spilled over several times since Rio was
awarded the 2016 Olympic Games in October 2009.
Gang members shot down a police helicopter weeks later,
sparking police raids and violence that resulted in 30 deaths.
In August, gunmen from a slum armed with automatic weapons
and grenades invaded a five-star hotel in one of Rio's richest
neighbourhoods and held 35 people hostage for two hours.
This month's Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo was marred by
armed attacks on world champion Jenson Button and a group of
team engineers.
Cities such as Rio are also plagued by bus hold-ups, in
which armed gangs board buses and rob all passengers between
stops, car-jackings and so-called express kidnappings, in which
victims are taken to cashpoints are forced to withdraw money at
gunpoint.