The World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina at the Maracana on Tuesday descended into chaos, as police clashed with fans and children wept in fear among the stadium’s stands. This latest incidence of violence has tarnished Rio de Janeiro’s image as the city prepares to host the Group of Twenty (G20) meeting next year.
Rio has previously hosted high-profile events like the 2014 World Cup final and the 2016 Olympic Games amidst a backdrop of political turmoil and economic recession. However, recent chaotic scenes at major events and the deteriorating security situation in Rio are a cause for concern as the city prepares for the G20 summit.
Just on Friday, a young woman died at a Taylor Swift concert at the Nilton Santos stadium amid a record-breaking heatwave in Rio, prompting widespread complaints of a lack of water in the venue. And, a few days later at the Maracana stadium, the Brazil-Argentina match was delayed by 30 minutes due to clashes and violence in the stands, with TV images showing police beating Argentina fans and families running in fear.
In the aftermath of the violence, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Rio’s state military police traded blame over the arrangements for the mixed seating section where the trouble erupted. The CBF claimed that the state police were fully aware of the mixed seating area and that they complied rigorously with a pre-agreed security plan.
Rio’s state military police, however, criticized the CBF for selling tickets that didn’t separate each nation’s fans and stated that security inside the stadium was the responsibility of the CBF’s private contractor. This incident comes after similar scrutiny of Rio’s policing of high-profile soccer matches during the recent Copa Libertadores final.
Brazil is set to host the G20 summit on Nov. 18 and 19, 2024, as it takes over the rotating presidency of the group. However, the eroding public safety in Rio, as evidenced by the militarization of security at the main airport and major port, and the wave of violence caused by drug gangs and “militias,” could potentially spoil Brazil’s opportunity to project itself on the global stage.
In October, three doctors were brutally murdered on one of Rio’s beaches after being mistaken for rival gangsters, and in another incident, militias set fire to dozens of Rio buses after one of their bosses was killed by police. These incidents highlight the dangerous and rapidly deteriorating security situation in Rio.
The escalation of violence and deteriorating public safety situation in Rio is a cause for concern as the city prepares to host the G20 summit, with potential ramifications for Brazil’s global image and standing.
(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
