Olympics Plagued by Zika and Politics

In the weeks leading up to Brazil’s Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro’s governor Francisco Dornelles made a statement saying, “If some steps are not taken, it can be a big failure.” The quote comes after recent political turmoil regarding the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, temporarily suspended in what some have called a political coup d’état. Her ousting comes at a time of economic crisis in the country, facing its worst recession since the 1990s. As protests grip the country, social movements on both sides of the issue are saying tourists will be left alone.

Olympic ticketholders are mainly concerned about the ongoing Zika outbreak. Brazil is already reporting more cases of Dengue fever than all of last year, stoking fears 500,000 incoming visitors will cause the virus to spread. Dr. Amir Attaran of the University of Ottawa has called the Games “socially irresponsible,” while others say mosquito activity will be more subdued while the event is going on. The World Health Organization even released a statement saying, “canceling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus.”