Castro, L.A. Glad with Olympic Brazil
HAVANA TIMES, Oct. 3 – Fidel Castro expressed Cuba’s satisfaction with Rio de Janeiro being selected as the site of the 2016 Olympic Games. Only one other Latin American city, Mexico (1968), has ever been selected to host the event held every four years.
Spontaneous celebrations took place in Brazil with the designation which had to defeat the major industrialized cities of Chicago and Tokyo as well as Madrid to win the designation.
At a meeting of the finance ministers of Brazil, India, China and Russia, China, -fresh off its successful holding of the Beijing 2008 Games- offered its assistance to Brazil in the organization of the games.
Rio also hosted the 2007 Pan American Games. Newspapers across the continent celebrated the designation of Brazil for the 2016 Olympics.
Thank you for your comments, Grady, though I must disagree. I neither inferred that Fidel is obtuse, nor did I lump him into the same camp as the monopoly imperialists. I wrote that “I find it difficult to believe …” which offers ample opportunity to consider that Mr. Castro might be viewing the games from an angle I haven’t considered. What I see is an increased police presence and loss of civil liberties in preparation for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympics. The IOC has destroyed a huge amount of wilderness, essential if we are to survive the global climate crisis, and one very precious life – that of Harriet Nahanee, an indigenous elder who was arrested while peacefully protesting the destruction of wild space in favour of a highway to serve the Olympics. A female judge chose to send Harriet to a prison, even after being warned of Harriet’s ill health and that particular prison’s harsh conditions, and Harriet died days later. Perhaps Cuba would have more stringent rules for…
Janine, you have inferred that Fidel is obtuse, and have inadvertently lumped him into the same camp as the monopoly imperialists. Please be more careful with your language. An apology is in order.
I find it difficult to believe that Mr. Castro isn’t aware of the imperialist nature of the Olympic Organizing Committee. They are an undemocratic and hierarchical organization that holds no allegience to any government or people. Their elitist games are used as a front to steal public lands and resources, the only benefit a few days of athletics for a chosen few. Cities, neighbourhoods and especially the poor are ravaged, burdened with enormous debt. Security cameras are installed, freedom of speech is denied, civil liberties are put down by military force. The torch relay was instigated by Mr. Hitler for the 1936 Berlin Olympics – he wanted the torch to visit all the lands he intended to conquer. Isn’t it possible the 2016 games will be used to clear the impoverished Brazilians from the barrios, to toss the poor aside and gentrify neighbourhoods for the rich? For more information please visit http://www.no2010.com.