Thomas Vicino, associate professor of political science, public policy, and urban affairs at Northeastern, has traveled to and worked in Brazil extensively. Here, he explains the “perfect storm” that led to Brazil’s decline and weighs in on the city’s preparation for the Olympics.
In 2009, when Rio de Janeiro was named the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazil was in the midst of an economic boom that had helped the nation become the rising star of South America. But little more than a half-decade later, the fifth-largest country in the world by population is plagued by political scandal, an economic downturn, and rising security risks, all of which raise questions as to Rio’s aptitude to host the games.
Thomas Vicino, associate professor of political science, public policy, and urban affairs at Northeastern, has traveled to and worked in Brazil extensively. Here, he explains the “perfect storm” that led to the country’s decline and weighs in on the city’s preparation for the Olympics.
