Jokester Tries to Douse Torch Relay -- Rio Roundup

(ATR) A prankster unsuccessfully attempted to drench the Olympic flame in Brazil’s heartland.

During the relay in the town of Maracaju, in the central state of Matto Grosso do Sul, a man was arrested after throwing a bucket of water over the crowd trying to drench the torchbearer. The incident was quickly uploaded to YouTube.

Rio 2016 confirmed the incident to Around the Rings, saying it had no comment as local authorities had taken care of the matter. It is the second high-profile incident for the 95-day-long torch relay, after a Jaguar, used during a stop in Manaus, was shot after getting loose from its handlers.

Officers in Matto Grosso confirmed to Reuters that a 27-year-old had been arrested during the relay, and could face a sentence of three to six months in prison on the charge of damaging public property.

"He said it was a joke, a dare on Facebook," a local officer said to Reuters.

A video of the incident can be found below:

State Governor Warns of Olympic Failure

Francisco Dornelles says the Olympic Games will be "a big failure," if federal money to fund state security measures does not come through soon.

Dornelles spoke of the need for imminent payment in an interview with Globo, saying he expects the funds to be secured by June 30, but stressed the situation remains dire.

"I am optimistic about the games, but I have to show the reality," Dornelles said. "We can make a great Olympics, but if some steps are not taken, it can be a big failure."

The state of Rio de Janeiro only has enough money to fund the state police force until the end of the week, according to Dornelles. He added that if money is not delivered to the metro, workers will have to be laid off, and the construction may not be completed to open on Aug. 1.

Since assuming the acting role of state governor in March, Dornelles has been dealing with a disastrous state budget. He called the situation "tragic" upon taking office, and public employees have worked most of June without receiving their salaries.

To receive a bailout from the Federal Government, Dornelles declared a "public state of calamity in financial management" on June 18.

"I have said that without security and no subway, there will be difficulties," Dornelles added. "We have to give proof that we are equipping security and the ready mobility for people to come to the country."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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