MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazil: Furious Dilma fires back at World Cup criticism from soccer star Ronaldo
“It`s a shame. I am embarrassed, this is my country and I love it and we shouldn`t be transmitting this image abroad” said Ronaldo 
“I am proud of our accomplishments. We have no reason to be ashamed and we don`t have an inferiority complex” replied Dilma President Dilma Rousseff hit back over the weekend at criticism voiced by former soccer star Ronaldo over mishandled preparations for the World Cup. In an interview with Reuters Ronaldo lamented that many infrastructure projects promised for the tournament were significantly delayed, scaled-down, or canceled, while some stadiums remain unfinished just over two weeks from kick-off.
“I am sure that our country will put on the Cup of Cups,” Rousseff said in a speech in Brasilia, without naming Ronaldo directly. “I am proud of our accomplishments. We have no reason to be ashamed and we don`t have an inferiority complex.”
The president was replying to Ronaldo`s comments that were re-published on the front page of Brazil's major newspapers on Saturday and received heavy media play, prompting the government to fire back.
“It`s a shame. I am embarrassed, this is my country and I love it and we shouldn't be transmitting this image abroad,” Ronaldo said, who as a member of the Local Organizing Committee is one of the most visible backers of soccer`s world governing body FIFA and the Brazilian government.
Earlier in the day Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said Ronaldo's comments were tantamount to a “shot against one's own goal,” considering the soccer star was heavily involved in the Cup preparations himself.
The government's response comes amid efforts to protect both the nation`s image and that of Rousseff herself as she comes up for re-election in October.
While Ronaldo agreed in the interview that criticism levied by FIFA over the Cup preparations were fair, he noted that the event did bring about some improvements in Brazilian cities such as Cuiaba, one of the 12 cities that will host the games.
“I saw cities with many construction projects...who knows how many would have been done in Cuiaba if it weren`t for the World Cup?” he said.
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Read all commentsWhether the WC in Brazil will be an accomplishment also depends on what happens after the tournament.
May 26th, 2014 - 08:09 am 0Chat to South Africans about the broken promises after the last WC. They have stadiums left empty, only to be used once or twice a year.
Hopefully Brazil comes good, if not Sepp Blatter will have more to answer for as it was obviously another inside choice - Brazil had no competition when winning the bid.
Dilma insists on shooting the messenger.
May 26th, 2014 - 08:38 am 0Trying to downplay every critical person doesn't change the fact that they are critical for a reason. And that reason is that Brazil has squandered a golden opportunity to make major changes and build some major infrastructure.
It has happened on Dilma's watch and she can't keep trying to move the goal posts nor pass the buck.
The World Cup will go ahead. But it will not be the showcase that Brazil was hoping for. Nor announce Brazil's entry into the major world powers league.
When the WC starts all eyes will be on the games which, lets face it, could be played in a field. There will be whinging about lack of facilities and news items about problems with crime but to the majority who will watch from the comfort of their own homes it will be fine. They don't live there and they don't have to face the daily problems.
May 26th, 2014 - 10:27 am 0It will not showcase Brazil as anything but a struggling, developing country with more ambition than common sense. There are numerous documentaries going out in the run up to the WCFs showing the real Brazil with all the problems. Brazilians describing it as a country ripped apart by economic and race warfare. The people are right to protest at their governments waste of money on these circuses.
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