Brazil deploys troops to secure ‘borders’ for WC

Work on Sao Paulo airport halted

BRASILIA, May 11, (Agencies): Brazil began deploying 30,000 troops on Saturday to patrol its borders and beef up security for the World Cup soccer tournament that will kick off in 12 Brazilian cities next month, the Defense Ministry said.

The army, navy and air force troops will use river patrol boats, helicopters and planes to crack down on drug trafficking and other smuggling activities on Brazil s 16,900-km (10,500-mile) frontier with 10 South American nations.

Much of the border is Amazon jungle that is hard to patrol and notoriously porous, allowing undocumented immigrants easy access to the country.

Host Brazil has invited the leaders of the 31 other nations that will compete in the World Cup to watch their teams play, which will add to security concerns. Brazilian authorities say the risk of a terrorist attack is low because Brazil has no enemies.

The Brazilian Air Force will enforce no-fly zones over the soccer stadiums during the 64 games that will be played between June 12 and July 13.

The most serious security threat will likely come from a repeat of street demonstrations by Brazilians who turned out in mass last year during a warm-up for the World Cup to protests against poor public services, corruption and the great expense of building the stadiums.

Work on an airport outside Sao Paulo was partially suspended on Friday because of unsafe working conditions in the rush to prepare for the World Cup, all but guaranteeing the private operator would miss a crucial deadline for a new terminal.

Viracopos airport, controlled by Brazilian concessionaries UTC and Triunfo and France’s Egis Airport Operation, risks a fine of up to 170 million reais ($77 million) for missing a Sunday deadline to deliver the terminal.

Federal prosecutors said work involving heights and heavy machinery overhead would be halted temporarily due to dangerous movement of heavy materials, reckless driving around elevated platforms and misuse of key safety equipment.

“We can tell they are rushing against the clock and they are doing several different things at once in a disorderly way,” said prosecutor Mario Antonio Gomes, who accompanied a visit by workplace safety watchdog CEREST.

The consortium responsible for renovating Viracopos, which generally comments on operations instead of individual investors, said it follows all legal safety requirements and it would make necessary adjustments to protocol.

Brazilian organizers have held test events at two of the problematic World Cup stadiums, including the one hosting the tournament’s opening game next