What's Standing in Rio's Way?
State department says Brazilian crime rate four times higher than U.S.
Few cities are more beautiful, or more dangerous: Rio de Janeiro.
On the one hand, there's picturesque vistas and beaches. On the other, there's the immense slums and the very public shoot-outs between gang members and police.
Yet many believe Rio to be Chicago's toughest competitor for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Why?
Mostly because the country regularly hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors without incident, and those events have proved to be valuable training for the Olympic Games.
Brazil's Consul general said more than 2 million tourists flock to the country twice a year: during New Year Eve and Carnival. Most of them go home without ever having a problem.
The International Olympic Committee is well aware of Rio's crime problem and noted it in a recent report, but it said recent social programs and community policing efforts appear to be paying dividends.
Posted Thursday, Sep 24, 2009 - 8:57 PM CST
