After Nice, Brazil Examines Rio 2016 Security Plan

(ATR) Increased Olympic security may be coming after meetings in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia today.

A five-hour meeting at Rio 2016 headquarters featured representatives from the city government, the federal government and the Brazilian intelligence agency (ABIM) to discuss potential changes and improvements to the Olympic security plan. Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman was present for the meeting, but a spokesperson for the organizing committee told Around the Rings his presence was purely observational.

After the meeting Mayor Eduardo Paes told reporters that he remained fully confident of the security plan for the 2016 Games, even if the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in the French city of Nice last night.

"There was no change, but if there is a demand for forces we will do that," Paes said to reporters. "I'm sure of the full operation of the city during the Olympics, in all areas, security, health and mobility."

Paes added that possible areas for more forces include transport areas such a bus terminals and the outside of sporting venues. He said that the city needs to be prepared for any changes that come about in the coming days, which would certainly impact the local populations.

Before attending the meeting Paes told RJTV that if tourists want to "travel to the safest place in the world this August," they should come to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games.

As the meeting ended in Rio de Janeiro, an emergency meeting between Brazilian President Temer, the head of the Brazilian armed forces, ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of justice and other stakeholders, continued to discuss the security of the Olympic Games. President Temer returned early from a trip to Sao Paulo to call the meeting.

It is expected that the meeting at the Presidential Palace would result in a decree for an increase of security forces in the Olympic city. Currently 85,000 state and national forces have begun to be placed around Rio de Janeiro in Olympic security preparations. An exercise of national forces is planned to take place in Deodoro, Copacabana, and the Maracana tomorrow.

"This review will identify some gaps, and I can tell you, with a good degree of probability, it will suggest an increase of security in some measures for the Games," Sergio Etchegoyen, Minister of Institutional Security Office told Brazilian outlet G1. "They are practical measures, such as more checkpoints, more barriers and some traffic restrictions. It is important that people understand that we will exchange a bit of comfort for a lot of security."

Etchegoyen added that the review was prompted by yesterday’s attacks in Nice and there are no current threats against the Rio Olympics. The federal government remains confident that the Games would go off without a security incident.

Rio 2016 told ATR they would not be commenting on any potential changes to the security plan until the meeting in Brasilia was complete.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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