Rio mayor guarantees Olympic Games security

Brazilian authorities will cooperate with international intelligence agencies to ensure Rio de Janeiro is safe during next year's Olympic Games, city mayor Eduardo Paes said on Tuesday.

Security concerns have heightened following the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

"I think the security operation was already well thought out and that will continue to be the case," Paes told reporters.

"The world's intelligence agencies are going to be involved, there won't be any dramas."

Paes made the comments after meeting with representatives of the International Olympic Committee who are in Rio to check the progress of preparations for the August 5-21 Games.

He said nobody from the IOC has raised any security concerns.

"Nobody raised that issue but it's normal that after the attacks in Paris it will be something that is talked about," Paes said. "Humanity can't be scared and let the terrorists win. Barbarity can't defeat civilization.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting was the organizing committee's pledge to cut costs to avoid a budget blowout.

"There is a budget in place and that has to be respected," Paes said. "The organizing committee's budget has more to do with the Olympic world and the Olympic family than the Games themselves."

He added that the IOC expressed satisfaction with the progress of construction work at Rio's Olympic venues.

"Everything is going very well. The evaluation was positive," Paes said. Endi