Zika, severe water pollution, political crisis and rising security concerns—just when the Rio Games could use a little positive press comes another blow: The city needs more money.
Brazil’s Interm Governor Francisco Dornelles declared a state of financial emergency on Friday. With less than two months until the Games, he’s requested emergency funding from the federal government to avoid what a decree in the state’s Official Gazette calls “a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management.” Most day-to-day security and health service responsibilities in Rio fall on the shoulders of the state.
Brazil’s economy, tied largely to the oil industry, was hard hit by the collapse of global oil prices. The country is currently in a deep recession.
The host country’s Interim President Michel has committed significant aid from the federal government to meet their Olympic obligations.
Rio’s Mayor Eduardo Paes said on Twitter that the state’s financial emergency “in no way delays the delivery of Olympic projects and the promises assumed by the city of Rio.”
O estado de calamidade decretado pelo Governo Estadual em nada atrasa as entregas olímpicas e os compromissos assumidos pelo Rio.
— Eduardo Paes (@eduardopaes) June 17, 2016
Some 500,000 foreigner visitors are expected to travel to Rio for the Games this summer.
Read more about the economic issues Brazil is facing at CNBC.