- Title: BRAZIL: OLYMPICS: Olympics affirms Brazil's rise and President Lula's legacy.
- Date: 7th October 2009
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SLUMS
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVADKF0KF31Y11C1UAEUMQ2BMFM7
- Story Text: Rio de Janeiro's successful bid to host the Olympics in 2016 crowns Brazil's remarkable rise over the past decade from a near basket case to an economic and diplomatic heavyweight.
Rio de Janeiro's victory to host the Olympic Games in 2016 caps a resurgence in Brazil's economic and diplomatic clout in recent years -- a transformation that had played a key part in the bid's appeal.
Just as the Beijing Olympics of 2008 marked China's revival as a world power, Rio 2016 may be seen as a stamp of approval on the South American giant's coming of age.
Rio's Olympic victory may be the most spectacular sign of Brazil's surging profile under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the country's first working-class leader who nurtured an economic boom that has lifted millions of people out of poverty and made him one of the world's most popular leaders.
After decades of underachievement, Latin America's largest country in recent years has finally made good on the immense promise of its abundant natural resources, vibrant democracy and vast consumer market of 190 million people.
Even the global economic crisis was unable to knock Brazil off its stride for long as the economy swiftly emerged from recession and returned to growth this year.
The country was still struggling in 2002 when, as Lula was poised for the presidency, financial markets crumbled on fears Brazil would go the way of crisis-hit Argentina with Lula and his leftist Workers' Party at the reins.
But major companies like oil firm Petrobras and mining giant Vale have flourished, helping spread Brazilian investments and influence throughout Latin America and beyond.
According to economic analyst Marcelo Neri, the Olympic victory is both a symbol of the country's progress and a goal to be reached.
"Rio 2016 may represent this progress, this objective to be pursued and that can generate for the local population in particular and for the Brazilian population important benefits. I think the Cariocas (Rio residents) and Brazilians function very well when they are challenged to reach certain objectives and Rio 2016 is this objective," he said.
Lula's appeal for South America's first Olympics followed a similar line: rich countries have enjoyed more than their fair share of the Games' spectacle and prestige.
Brazil's rise has cleared a path out of poverty for about 20 million people, with help from Lula's generous welfare programs.
In the wake of the financial crisis, Brazil has also been at the forefront in pushing for more clout for developing nations in international decision-making, raising the profile of the G20 as well as the BRIC group of big emerging markets, made up of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Political analyst Ricardo Ismael said hosting the world's top sporting events in the upcoming decade would give Brazil a stronger say in global affairs.
"These Olympics along with the World Cup in 2014, two huge international sporting events, in the next decade, may certainly bring a consolidation of Brazil's leadership role in the international scenario," he said.
A run of luck also has worked in Brazil's favor, from the commodities price boom that boosted its exports of raw materials such as iron ore and soybeans to one of the world's largest recent oil finds off Rio's coast in 2007.
The government hopes that discovery will help lift Brazil into the elite club of developed nations.
Yet plenty of challenges lie ahead.
Brazil's schools suffer from chronic underinvestment and the country has no world-class universities, leaving business leaders worried about a lack of qualified labor. Its creaking infrastructure also threatens to cramp growth.
Racism remains a severe but widely ignored barrier to education and jobs for blacks and indigenous Indians. And, for all its economic progress, Brazil remains one of the world's most unequal countries with widespread poverty, lawlessness and illiteracy in its northeast region and the vast Amazon rain forest area. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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