Olympic Host Rio Gets Emergency Funding Lifeline From Temer
- Federal government to provide $850 million, O Globo reports
- Rio declared a state of emergency this week as Games near
Workers continue construction outside of Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. With less than two months before the start of the 2016 Olympic Games, Brazilian authorities are scrambling to finish a subway expansion and the velodrome. They're also trying to assuage fears about the Zika virus. And the country is in an unprecedented economic and political crisis.
Photographer: Dado Galdieri/BloombergBrazil’s federal government has agreed to provide emergency funding to Rio de Janeiro state after the host of this year’s summer Olympics declared an emergency as it runs short of cash weeks before the start of the games, O Globo reported.
Acting President Michel Temer’s administration will ask Congress to authorize a one-time payment of 2.9 billion reais ($850 million) to help the state complete work on its subway system and pay civil servants, including overtime for police officers, said Saturday, citing unidentified government officials. Temer’s press office didn’t respond to an e-mail and phone call on Saturday seeking comment.