Rio 2016 "Confident and Prepared" for Olympic Security Threats

(ATR) Security leaders from Brazil and 60 countries are in Rio de Janeiro discussing Olympic plans.

The focus of the Nov. 25-26briefing is to finalize the security strategy for Rio 2016 and improvements to better integrate all security agencies in Brazil.

For many of the participants, the mood was one of confidence. But government auditor Augusto Nardes reminded them that plenty of work needs to be done.

"We feel absolutely confident and prepared and we will host an excellent Olympic Games," Sidney Levy, chief executive of Rio 2016, said in his opening remarks.

"The committee has been working for 5 years and we have delivered our work. I would like to remind you that from the beginning we considered security as a priority."

For Andrei Rodrigues, secretary of major events (SESGE) in Brazil, the aim of the briefing was to alleviate doubts the world may have about security in Brazil. He also wants to discuss "command and control" protocols the country has adopted at the federal, state, and municipal levels of government.

"We will have 47,000 officials in public security and the armed forces to provide security for the Games, and this is a unique opportunity to train our officers," Rodrigues said.

"No one is indifferent to events like those that happened in Paris. This is no reason for us to feel relaxed, and the Olympics are a stimulus for us because it is an acknowledgement of what we’ve done. It raises the bar to show we wish to work more for the security of our Games."

Nardes began his remarks reminding the participants of the necessary work that needs to be done to continue integration between government bodies. He said 68 percent of state ministers do not communicate with each other and 92 percent of security plans in Brazil do not have ethics codes. He also warned that policing Brazil’s over 10,000-mile long border will be crucial at Games-time to prevent any potential terrorists entering the country.

"We have to come together to have to have a permanent national security policy," Nardes said."We need to work together to have a reception of the highest welcome for the Olympic Games."

France Open to Sharing Information

In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, the French government says it is open to sharing information with Brazilian authorities.French foreign minister Laurent Fabiussaid he would collaborate with his Brazilian counterparts to prevent a similar situation from happening during the Games, Reuters reported.

SESGE secretary Andrei Rodrigues confirmed the arrangement in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday."The cooperation will increase not only with France, but other countries which we hope to be working with," he said."It’s very good that the ambassadors will be here to help us with an effective collaboration with these countries."

Visa Requirement Waived

Tourists who enter Brazil from next June will not require a visa.Brazil president Dilma Rousseff has waived the visa requirement for entrance to Brazil from June 1 to Sept. 18. Visitors with or without Olympic tickets will be eligible to stay for 90 days without a physical visa.Brazil had been considering scenarios where visas would be lifted for the period of the Games to increase the influx of tourist money.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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