Rio Was the Right Choice

Rio de Janeiro was just awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics. Quite a to-do was made of President Obama's attendance at the International Olympic Committee meeting to pitch his support for Chicago. What was largely ignored in the American press was the fact that the president of Brazil, the president and king of Spain, and the prime minister of Japan also attended. It is not too common for the heads of state to make personal appearances, but I'm not all that surprised. In the midst of a global economic recession, each of these leaders wanted to score a big victory by delivering the Olympics to their citizens. To make it this far in the process, each of the four final candidate cities surely made impressive cases. But Rio was the right choice.

South America earns a large amount of international legitimacy with Brazil being awarded the continent's first Olympic games, and deservedly so. Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Chile have been leading the meteoric rise of South America in the last 20 years, but have still been considered the "red-headed step children" of the Western Hemisphere. After suffering from centuries of slow development from colonization through the horrific dictatorships of the 20th century, South America has been rapidly reforming. The award of the 2016 Olympic Games is a direct recognition of those changes. Japan, Spain, and the U.S. have all previously hosted the Games. While there is a strong core of supporters in those countries that would have rejoiced at winning the 2016 bid, the Rio Games will energize a continent. The impact the 2016 Games would have had on the U.S. is nowhere near to that which it will have on South America.

Rio de Janeiro is a paradoxical city. There are parts of the city popular with international tourists and parts home to wealthy emerging industrialists, in contrast with several massive shantytowns where drugs and crime are rampant. Brazil is flush with cash that will be used to make much needed improvements to their infrastructure. The influx of international tourists certainly will contribute a significant amount of money to the Brazilian economy, and the citizens will benefit greatly. However, I anticipate that South and Central Americans will make up the vast majority of visitors because of the enormous pride they will take in this event. Congratulations, Rio, you're on the world stage.

Common Since: Rio 2016 will do tremendous things for South America. Rio was the right choice.