RIO DE JANEIRO, July 1 — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said today the country had scored a “goleada”, or large victory, over pessimists who warned the World Cup would be plagued by unrest, chaos or crime.
“We beat the pessimists, the people who were predicting chaos, and the Cup is a success across Brazil,” Rousseff, who is standing for reelection in October, said as she inaugurated a hospital in Rio de Janeiro state.
“For a long time they said there wouldn’t be a Cup. There were people who said the stadiums wouldn’t be ready, or the airports, others that there wouldn’t be hotels, others that Brazil had infectious diseases, that there would be power cuts,” she said.
“None of that happened. In fact, we’re hosting the Cup of all Cups... and not just because of the number of goals scored.”
Last year, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets during the Confederations Cup, a World Cup dress rehearsal, to protest the record amount being spent on the tournaments and call for more money for schools, hospitals and transport.
Activists continued protesting under the slogan “There won’t be a Cup!” right up to the opening match on June 12 and after, though the demonstrations have dwindled in size as the country has turned its attention to football.
Preparations for the World Cup were also marred by chronic delays, overspending and stadium construction accidents that killed eight workers.
But with the tournament now approaching the quarter finals, there have been few major problems, and the atmosphere in Brazil has been more carnival than chaos.
Rousseff is leading in opinion polls ahead of the elections.
A survey by pollsters CNI Ibope released earlier this month found 39 per cent of voters back her, ahead of Social Democratic Senator Aecio Neves with 21 per cent and socialist ex-governor Eduardo Campos with 10 per cent. — AFP
