Jaguar Shot After Rio 2016 Torch Ceremony

(ATR) A jaguar used in the torch relay ceremony in Manaus was shot by Brazilian authorities after escaping from handlers a short time later.

The Brazilian army confirmed the incident saying that the animal, named "Juma" was shot after coming towards a soldier despite being tranquilized. The jaguar was presented at a zoo near a military base in Manaus where the torch relay stopped June 20.

A statement from the Rio 2016 organizing committee called the use of the animal in the ceremony a "mistake," and pledged no such further incidents.

This is the first high-profile blip on the 95-day long torch relay that has drawn large crowds throughout the country.

Ginga, a jovial yellow jaguar, is the well-known mascot for the Brazilian Olympic team.

"We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal," Rio 2016 said in a statement. "This image goes against our beliefs and our values."

A statement from the Amazonas state authorities to local media says that there was no authorization to use the jaguar for the event, and an investigation into the matter would be conducted promptly.

The incident could not come at a worse time for the Olympic host city, as the city rushes to finish necessary construction to hold the Games. The Olympic velodrome is yet to be completed, and the finishing touches are still being put on major highways, the metro expansion, and other transportation routes necessary for Games operations.

In addition, the state of Rio de Janeiro has declared a "public state of calamity in financial management" with less than 50 days to go until the Games begin.

The declaration was made to unlock funds from the Federal Government to help stage the Olympic Games, even as state services are being gutted and state employees’ salaries are delayed. Although the state government remains near financial collapse, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes says the Olympics are well financed, and are not to blame for the current recession gripping Brazil.

Today, Brazilian media reported an $850 million package by the federal government has been approved to cover additional security costs for the Olympics.

Earlier this week, an Australian Paralympic sailor was robbed in Rio de Janeiro, the second incident of athletes being robbed in the Olympic city in the past month.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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