Work Halted On Some Olympic Projects Months Before Rio Games Set To Open

Brazil's Ministry of Labour & Employment said that with less than three months to go until the start of the Games, work on parts of Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Park and Olympic Village "was halted on Monday amid fears for the safety of workers," according to Rodrigo Viga Gaier of REUTERS. Officials who reviewed work on a TV tower in the Olympic park and digging work at the Olympic village "shut down operations at those and two other sites." They did not say exactly "what the problems entailed or how serious they were." Ministry Regional Superintendent Robson Leite: "We have no intention of hampering the event. We just want the safety of the population, the workers and all those who will visit Rio." The Olympic Park, where 16 sports will take place at nine venues, "was declared open last month but final touches to the tennis courts and sponsors' areas are still being made." The Games open on Aug. 5. Such injunctions are common in Brazil and are "usually quickly resolved" (REUTERS, 5/9).