Brazilian President Makes Rio Olympics Visit- On the Scene

(ATR) Dilma Rousseff inspects preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the final days of her campaign for reelection.

Rousseff is scheduled to visit the construction site for the Olympic Park in the western Rio de Janeiro suburb of Barra de Tijuca. It will be her first look at the work since construction began last year. She will also get to meet with members of the IOC Coordination Commission for Rio 2016, who will be at the park as part of their latest inspection of Olympic preparations.

Rousseff is campaigning for a second five-year term as president, first elected a month after Rio was chosen as the host of the 2016 Games.

While polls give her a sizable lead ahead of the October 5 vote, Rousseff is not expected to win the 50 percent plus one margin that’s needed to claim victory. A second vote would be held three weeks later between the top two finishers in the multi-candidate field.

The Olympics have not figured into the campaign but Rousseff’s visit to the construction site could portray her as the leader needed for the country with the Games approaching in less than two years.

The IOC commission, making its seventh visit since being formed five years ago, opened its latest session Monday with comments from Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes. Increasinglyhe’s positioned himself as the political leader who will direct Rio to the Games. The city is financing and constructing most of the venues for the Games as well as infrastructure projects involving transportation and redevelopment of the city’s old Port.

The commission spent nearly four hours Monday in closed-door briefings on Games preparations from staff of Rio 2016. Tuesday more briefings are ahead followed by the trip tothe Olympic Park.

Although the IOC expressed concerns earlier this year about the pace of construction for Rio 2016, the mood appears to be less alarmed now that more work is taking place. The end of the World Cup in July has also meant undivided attention to the Olympics on the part of government as well as the public, with recruitment of volunteers and the sale of tickets soon underway.

The 17 member commission is led by Moroccan IOC member Nawal El Moutawakel along with IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi, who officially started in his post this month.

The coordination commission will close its visit on Wednesday.

Written and reported in Rio de Janeiroby Ed Hula.

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