Brazil leader expects boos from Rio crowd
Print Edition
BRAZIL’S Interim President Michel Temer has said he is fine with the likelihood he will be booed when he appears at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Friday.
“I am totally ready. As (Brazilian writer) Nelson Rodrigues used to say, in Maracana (stadium) even the moment of silence gets booed,” Temer said on a visit to Porto Alegre, ahead of South America’s first Olympics, which he will open at the fabled football pitch.
Temer, the vice president who has been acting head of state since May, will preside over the opening ceremony on Friday and declare the Games open, amid the country’s contentious political situation.
Suspended President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor and left-wing ally Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, meanwhile, have said they will boycott the ceremony.
Rousseff is currently suspended for an impeachment trial for breaking government budget laws, while Lula, who as president was instrumental in Rio’s winning bid as Olympic host, faces serious corruption allegations.
“I have to fulfil my institutional responsibilities. And I also understand the ex-presidents are not going to be in attendance. So the fun part is they can save all the boos just for the president,” Temer quipped.
Temer said Brazil’s political uncertainty must be resolved by the end of this month — its Olympic-hosting month — by reaching a verdict in the impeachment trial.
“The world needs to know who is the president” of Brazil, he said.
The Rio Games got some good news on Saturday as a new metro line opened in time for the landmark Games.
Fears that the massive project would not be ready melted when, after months of delays, Temer opened the No. 4 line between Ipanema and Barra de Tijuca.
The new line will be key to logistics and transporting 22,000 passengers per hour during the Olympic Games on August 5-21 and the Paralympic Games on September 7-18.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
