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Rousseff: Political instability won’t affect the Olympics

A total of 141 people will carry the Olympic torch a distance of 108 kilometers through Brasilia on a route that will include the Juscelino Kubitschek bridge, Lake Paranoa, the Mane Garrincha Stadium, the Claudio Coutinho water-sports complex and the National Park.

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Brazil President Dilma Rousseff holds the Olympic torch, which will visit 329 cities.

Last week, the Olympic flame made a symbolic stop in Switzerland before heading to Brazil.

No, rather the question remains how much can go haywire during the Games to distract us from our enchanting presidential campaign.

Elsewhere, Brazilian surf icon Gabriel Medina passed the Olympic flame onto Brasilia-born volleyball star Paula Pequeno, who had the responsibility of carrying it into the Cathedral of Brasilia, an iconic building designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Hanan and her father, Khaled, mother Yusra, brother Mostafá and baby sister Yara came to Brazil along with other relatives just over a year ago, after spending two-and-a-half years at Zaatari refugee camp, in Jordan.

When the plane hit Brazil airspace, two fighter jets from the Brazilian Air Force escorted the Boeing 767 on its flight, to help mark the arrival of the Olympic flame in the host nation.

Then there were cheers as the first relay runner, double Olympic gold winning women’s volleyball captain Fabiana Claudino, set off.

The torch travel for 95 days across Brazil before arriving at the Maracana Stadium for the opening ceremony.

If the senate votes in favor of opening proceedings against her, Rousseff will be removed from office for six months and replaced by her deputy Michel Temer.

She also touched on the political and economic turmoil rocking South America’s largest country.

According to UNHCR, of the 8,700 refugees who have settled in Brazil, more than 2,000 are from Syria. Brazil will be capable in a hard period, a very hard, critical period in the history of our democracy of dealing with the problems….

Rio organizers hope the three- month relay will build enthusiasm for the Games, which has lagged as Brazil battles bribery and corruption scandals, recession and the Zika virus outbreak. “There will be banners for or against President Rousseff”.

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Inside the Cathedral, Pequeno met up with Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, creating one of the most emotional moments of the Brasilia leg of the torch relay.

Olympic flame set to arrive in Brazil for torch relay