Rio declares ‘financial calamity’ ahead of Olympics

The decree authorises the state to “adopt all necessary emergency measures to ration essential public services in order for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to take place.” 

“Any institutional instability would hurt the country’s image,” the decree said on Friday, signed by acting governor Francisco Dornelles. The August 5-21 Olympics and September 7-18 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro will be the first to be held in South America.

The events pose “serious difficulties in delivering essential public services and could even cause a collapse in public safety, health, education, transportation and environmental management,” the decree said.

Rio de Janeiro state is in financial straits due to the fall in global oil prices, while Brazil overall is floundering through a deep recession.