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Column 072516 Brewer

Monday, July 25, 2016

Rio's Olympic Games and Concerns due to
Hemispheric Perils
By Jerry Brewer
Holding a worl d international sports event today in the
Western Hemisphere is an ironic test of intestinal
fortitude. Latin America leads the world with 31
percent of the worlds murders, despite having
approximately 9 percent of the worlds population.
The fact is that Latin America is the most insecure
region in the world with one in every three people being
a victim of a violent crime.
The 2016 Summer Games, officially known as the
Games of the XXXI Olympiad, and commonly known
as Rio 2016, are taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
from August 5-21.
A record number of countries are scheduled to
participate in a record number of sports. More than
10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic
Committees are scheduled to compete.
Withal, the criminality and violence destabilizing many
of the countries in the Western Hemisphere are so much
more than an estimated annual US$80 billion drug
demand. Extortion, kidnapping and human trafficking
are just a few of the violent myriad menu of
transnational organized crime.
Bordering Brazils 848 miles of border with Paraguay,
a criminal insurgency within Paraguay has had much
more than a guerrilla and revolutionary-style
agenda. Paraguay is a major producer of illicit

cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil,

Argentina, and Chile. It is a key transshipment country
for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil and other
Southern Cone markets, and Europe.
Weak border controls and extensive corruption are also
exacerbated by money-laundering activities, especially
in the Tri-Border area of Brazil, Argentina, and
Paraguay, due to weak anti-money-laundering laws and
poor enforcement, all of which creates a high threat
environment.
Rio will become the first South American city to host
the Summer Olympics, the first since 1968 to be held in
Latin America and the first since 2000 to be held in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Leading up to the games, controversies including the
corruption and instability of the Brazil's federal
government, as well as prominent health and safety
concerns surrounding the Zika virus and significant
pollution in the Guanabara Bay, telegraphed elements
of insecurity and significant concern to world
participants and visitors.
Also complicating competent security protocols, the
border area city of Pedro Juan Caballero, 600
kilometers north of Asuncion, Paraguay near Ponta
Pora one of the major urban centers in the Brazilian
state of Mato Grosso do Sul that stretches some 600
kilometers, is without any significant policing, customs
or military controls, and home to more than 100 drug
gangs that are made up of Paraguayans and Brazilians.
In June, Brazil moved more than 25,000 army, navy
and air force troops along its borders with 10 South
American nations to reinforce security ahead of the
Confederations Cup soccer tournament.
In previous hostilities, the Paraguayan Peoples Army
(EPP) mobilized Paraguayan authorities at the end of
September 2011, when six guerrilla insurgents bombed
a police station and killed two police officers on the
Brazilian border. Later in October, Paraguay militarized
its border with Brazil by sending 1,000 troops (military

and police officers) to fight the EPP that had been in a

state of emergency for 17 days.
Security concerns perhaps making matters even worse,
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
have known links to the EPP, a communist guerrilla
movement. In February 2014, Paraguay asked Interpol
for the capture of two FARC members and four of the
EPP for a kidnapping and murder. At least one key
leader, Orley Jurado Palomino, is known to have gone
to Paraguay to provide training, advice and operational
leadership to the EPP.
Extreme vigilance of the Brazilian homeland is
critically necessary with sporting events taking place at
33 venues in Rio, as well as at five venues in other
cities that include Brazil's largest city of So Paulo.
Inner-city slums, known as favelas, have been suffering
due to violence and resistance to eviction by police. Six
people were reportedly wounded at Vila Autdromo, a
favela community on the edge of the Olympic Park.
Last week Brazilian police arrested ten people
suspected of planning acts of terrorism during the
Olympics. The group was apparently inspired by ISIS
and mostly organized online, Justice Minister
Alexandre de Moraes said.
Brazil intelligence said it was reviewing all threats
after the jihadi messaging channel called for its
followers to target the Olympics.
There are some that feel Brazil isn't taking the risk of
terrorism seriously enough. Last March
Brazil's government cut its security budget by more
than 30 percent, reduced by some US$550 million.
Not a comforting thought to an Athletes' Village that is
expected to become the largest in Olympic history. A
worlds eye is keenly focused on Rio and this
Hemispheres current reputation for death and violence.
Transnational crime and terror elements are prevalent
throughout.

Accurate assessments of threat and the monitoring of

developing global situations to identify fluid trends
with subsequent aggressive and proactive follow-up,
must be critical elements of Brazils security and
protective services.

Jerry Brewer is C.E.O. of Criminal Justice International

Associates, a global threat mitigation firm
headquartered in northern Virginia. His website is
located at www.cjiausa.us. TWITTER: CJIAUSA.
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