Worker Death in Sao Paulo; Rio Police Raid Slums Ahead of World Cup

(ATR) A third worker has died during Sao Paulo’s World Cup stadium build.

Brazil 2014 organizers confirmed that Fabio Hamilton da Cruz fell about eight meters to his death on Saturday at Arena Corinthians, which will host the Brazil v Croatia opener on June 12. He was reportedly helping to install temporary stands when the accident happened.

Two others workers have already died during construction of the 68,000-seater, while several others were killed in accidents at other stadiums being built for this summer’s FIFA showpiece.

Brazil's sports minister Aldo Rebelo and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who was last week in Rio for World Cup meetings, expressed their deepest sympathies to Da Cruz's family.

Valcke tweeted: "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a worker at Arena São Paulo today. My thoughts and condolences are with his family & colleagues."

Of the 12 World Cup stadiums, three are still to be finished – Sao Paulo, Cuiaba, and Curitiba.

Work to install temporary structures for media, sponsors, and corporate guests is only just starting at many of the venues. Completion of the temporary overlay for the June 12 to July 13 tournament is not expected until just before the event gets underway.

Last week, Valcke indicated that the problems that have plagued Brazil’s World Cup build-up will lead to a rethink of how preparations are managed for future World Cups, including Russia and Qatar.

"We are late. We face difficulties and risks right up to the last minute because we haven't tested the installations. We need time to test them," Valcke was quoted by Reuters as telling reporters in Rio after a meeting of the Brazil 2014 local organizing committee.

"It's a lesson and definitely we will act differently and we will have to find a different way of working in Russia in 2018," Valcke said.

Police Raid Rio Slums

Brazilian security forces raided a huge complex of slums near Rio’s international airport on Sunday as part of its ongoing efforts to crack down on armed drug gangs before the World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Nearly 1,500 police officers and marines were involved in the operation, according to reports.

Army soldiers are now patrolling the area of about 5 square kilometres in northern Rio that accommodates about 130,000 people, according an AP report. Permanent posts will eventually be set up in the Mare complex of 15 slums as part of Brazil’s "pacification" program, which began in 2008.

Written by Mark Bisson

Homepage photo: Getty Images

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