Last house in Rio's Olympic Park slum demolished
Posted August 03, 2016 7:00 am
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - The last house of a Rio de Janeiro slum in the region of the Olympic Park was demolished late Tuesday.
Market vendor Augusto Pereira told the Associated Press that there was too much pressure on him to leave the region and that he needed to carry on with his life somewhere else.
The Vila Autodromo favela was once home to around 700 families. Most left the city or accepted offers of compensation or resettlement in a nearby housing complex.
Until recently there were still 20 families that had refused to move out because the new houses did not provide paved streets and public lighting, but the issue was resolved this week for most of them.
Pereira was the very last to stay in the area.
The Olympics begin on Friday.
In this July 21, 2016 photo, a fence surrounds a slum near the Olympic Park ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The house was demolished late on Tuesday, Aug. 2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Associated Press
A crane stands where the last house was destroyed near the Olympic Park ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.