Rio de Janeiro has 11,000 kilometers of streets and wide avenues, tunnels that are falling apart - according to the mayor - but Marcelo Crivella (PRB) allows himself to dream of big projects and investments for the city, whose interests he intends to defend with help of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and, if needed, of Justice. He wants federal government support to pass a bill allowing the opening of casinos in the country, and that Rio becomes a new Singapore for the business of American tycoon Sheldon Adelson.
"His commitment is to invest US$ 10 billion and generate 50,000 jobs," says the mayor, who gives up his fervent religiosity - he is bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God - in the name of pragmatism that favors gambling. "People know that if we do not have a job, we're going to social chaos. And bet only who wants to", he justifies.
"I struggled a lot last year, event I did not succeed. But I want Bolsonaro to help me. That is [approve] a super license to have a casino. I received a visit from Sheldon Adelson [president of the Las Vegas Sand Company] and he is very interested. His idea was to buy [the airport area] Santos Dumont. I took it out of his head so he could buy the Porto Maravilha. And we can have here a casino like the one he has in Singapore, where 5% is the casino, and has exhibition center, convention center, hotel, with two 50 meters huge towers, and pool up there. He told me he raíces more money in Singapore than all the casinos in Las Vegas. And he owns the biggest one, the Venetian. It's crazy to invest. The commitment from hi mis clear: invest US$ 10 billion and generate 50 thousand jobs. We're going to have a big business here. "
"Rio de Janeiro needs jobs. We have already lost 350,000 jobs in the city. If people do not play here, they'll play elsewhere in Uruguay. And bet only who wants to. It is a controversial topic because the government monopolizes gaming in Brazil. My dear friend, let's have it here. And [the casino] is also subjet of this external control like FBI, CIA, Interpol to avoid money laundering. Singapore had 6 million tourists and moved to 20 million. Adelson, who is the largest donor in the State of Israel, told me there is no way we can not double the number of tourists here. I think these super-licenses should be [approved] in three, four places in Brazil, that's what I imagine. I'm sure [the idea will be well accepted in the religious sector] because people know that if we do not have jobs, we're going to social chaos. "
Source: GMB / Valor