Brazil president: country needs the 2016 Olympics

Brazil’s president says Rio will be well prepared to host the 2016 Olympics, and adds that no country needs it as much as Brazil does.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that since Brazil is hosting the 2014 World Cup, Rio will be ready for the Olympics two years later.

Brazil is trying to bring the games to South America for the first time, and Rio is positioned as a strong contender against Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo ahead of the International Olympic Committee’s vote on Oct. 2.

However, there have been concerns about the violence in Rio, and whether the city has enough hotel rooms to accommodate the crowds.

But Silva said Brazil hasn’t had any terrorist attacks, and hosting the Olympics would boost the population’s self-esteem.