Brazil to strengthen international co-op on Olympic Games security

Brazil will strengthen international cooperation to handle the security of the Summer Olympics, which will be held here in August 2016, local daily O Dia reported on Tuesday.

   However, according to the State's Secretary for Extraordinary Events, Andrei Rodrigues, the security scheme has not been altered after the attacks in Paris, committed by terrorist group ISIS. 

   "We reaffirm that we will invest on international cooperation, on information exchange with countries which form the Interpol system," he said.

   The security budget of 930 million reals (243.5 million U.S. dollars) was not changed, the secretary said. According to Rodrigues, Rio will have an integrated anti-terrorism center, with the participation of other nations.

   Famous tourist spots like the Christ Redeemer statue and the Maracana soccer stadium, which will also be a site for matches in the Olympic Games, have always received special attention from intelligence agencies in other events, such as the UN Sustainable Development Summit, in 2012, and the FIFA World Cup, last year.

   Some 85,000 agents will participate in the Olympic Games' Security Forces, among policemen and Armed Forces soldiers.

   Brazil has never been the site of terrorist attacks, and is not regarded as a primary target for ISIS. However, the fact that Rio will host the Olympic Games made the country a more possible target, as the games have been targeted by terrorist groups in the past.  Endi