International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Thomas Bach, from Germany, speaks during a press conference after the Olympic Summit IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Olympic leaders met to consider further measures to crack down on doping ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the wake of the ban on Russian track and field athletes. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Rio mayor: Olympics not behind Brazil financial disaster

Rio de Janeiro’s mayor has gone on the offensive to protect his reputation and that of his city, insisting the upcoming Olympic Games are not responsible for Brazil’s current economic debacle.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Eduardo Paes also distinguished between the finances of the city, which he said were in great shape, and those of Rio state and Brazil’s national government.

On Friday, Rio’s acting governor declared a state of financial disaster. The worst recession in decades has hit Rio state particularly hard, sparking spending cuts and even delays in paying public servants.

Paes insisted the federal and state governments invested relatively little in infrastructure projects for the Aug. 5-21 games. The city was responsible for the majority of the projects, Paes said.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles