The site that once served as the entry point for more than a million African slaves now serves as party central for Olympic fans not lucky-or deep-pocketed-enough to get into the Marancanã Stadium for the Opening Ceremonies. The security efforts include working with Brazil to vet more than 10,000 athletes and 35,000 security and police personnel, watch over terrorists social media accounts and cooperate in securing computer networks.
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“We had a very bad rehearsal two days ago, our last rehearsal was a disaster – this might be a good thing, everyone is now very aware”, Meirelles, who also directed the 2002 film City of God, said before Friday’s ceremony. Hundreds of drummers donned their colors and played out Brazil’s trademark beat, as athletes from over 200 countries tried out their first steps of samba.
Shoals of samba dancers flowed in a rainbow of colours, but many showed less flesh than normal for Brazil, seemingly mindful of their global TV audience.
While much of the ceremony was a celebration, Meirelles also dedicated a significant portion of time to highlighting the problems now facing Brazil and the world in the form of poverty, discrimination and global warming. Of course, the loudest cheer were be saved for last when the Brazil entered. An abrupt change of pace, given the doom and gloom pronounced moments earlier in the climate change segment.
Our guide was the Thiago Santana, a representative of the favela’s residents’ association, who was as eager to show off the wonderful view of the Olympic Stadium as he was to discuss all the ways the promises of the Olympics bringing improvements to the favela have gone unfulfilled.
Gymnastics could unearth a new heroine in America’s teenage star Simone Biles, while rugby and golf return to the Olympic program after gaps of 92 years and 112 years respectively.
After one of the roughest-ever rides from vote to games by an Olympic host, the city of beaches, carnival, grinding poverty and sun-kissed wealth lifted the curtain on the games of the 31st Olympiad with a three-hour gala Friday night that celebrated Brazil’s can-do spirit, biodiversity and its indigenous people. Rousseff supporters were among the protesters.
Of the billions of dollars spent preparing the city for the Olympics, he explained, none of it had made it to the favela.
“We are living in a world where selfishness is gaining ground, where certain people claim to be superior to others”, he said of the Olympians representing displaced people across the world. Earlier this week, 16-year national team veteran got her 101st shutout when the United States defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the team’s Olympic opener in Belo Horizonte.
The lighting of the Olympic cauldron followed, with the honor going to Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a former runner who led the marathon at the 2004 Games until he was attacked by a spectator.
Football legend Pele had ruled himself out of performing citing health challenges.
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On Friday, the four-hour ceremony kicked off with “Aquelle Abraco” (That Embrace) composed by the Grammy Award victor Gilberto Gil, accompanied by laser show and dancing. It was simple but effective, with a helping of politics.
