Protests as Rio readies for Olympic carnival
The Olympic flame wound its way around Rio de Janeiro's iconic landmarks Friday as protesters unleashed a fresh blast of anger ahead of the opening ceremony of the trouble-plagued sporting spectacle.
The carnival capital of the world is hoping Friday's extravaganza at the Maracana Stadium will draw a line under a turbulent seven-year build-up dogged by recession, rising crime and doping scandals.
But as the clock ticked down to the start of the first South American Olympics in history, demonstrators took to the streets to vent their fury at Brazil's rulers and the multi-billion-dollar cost of the Games.
Waving signs reading "No to the Olympics!", about 3,000 blocked gathered outside the luxury Copacabana Palace Hotel where many Olympic athletes are staying.
Brazil has spent more than $10 billion on new infrastructure and preparing for the Games at a time of economic crisis.
But the billions lavished on the Games has angered many Brazilians as the country grapples with a tanking economy and a grim litany of social problems.
Further protests are expected near the Maracana later Friday as the 78,600-seat venue hosts a parade of athletes from 207 teams and dozens of world leaders.
The four-hour ceremony launches 17 days of sporting drama featuring about 10,500 competitors, including the likes of sprint king Usain Bolt and swimming superstar Michael Phelps which wraps up on August 21.
The party will kick-off after the most crisis-ridden build-up to an Olympics in history, with a biting recession, double-digit unemployment, soaring crime and a public health crisis caused by the Zika virus just a few of the problems ravaging the city.
A political crisis led to the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, meaning the Brazilian leader will miss Friday's ceremony. Interim president Michel Temer will take Rousseff's place, but could face a hostile reception from the crowd.
A vast security blanket of 85,000 military personnel and police -- twice the number on duty at the 2012 London Games -- will be draped over the city to ward off the threat of street crime and terror attacks.
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