As Rio de Janeiro prepares for the 2016 olympics, the state environmental agency has been investigating a massive fish die-off that has been devastating the area’s waterways for years.
This week, researchers saw another large die-off while they were testing the waters, finding thousands of fish floating in the waterways. Coincidentally, inspectors from the International Olympic Committee were in town to check on the city’s progress in preparing for next year’s games. The water quality is actually so terrible in the area, that the city could potentially lose its chance to host the olympic games if conditions do not improve.
Government officials pretend that the condition of the water is a mystery, but it is currently well documented that a vast majority of the area’s sewage is dumped directly into the bay. The government has claimed that water treatment is too expensive of a project, but the people are heavily taxed and the government seems to have plenty of money for frivolous projects and bloated bureaucratic expenses.
Rio’s O Globo newspaper reported on Wednesday that roughly 60 tons of dead fish were collected in the November die-offs. It is unclear how many fish are dead in this current wave.
Below is a news clip from last year showing the devastation that is occurring in the area.
John Vibes writes for True Activist and is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war.
