Rio in 2016: A Great Consolation Prize for U.S. Hispanics With South American Ties

Yes, it was a shock when Chicago was so easily, so cavalierly knocked out of the bid. After all the years put into making a Chicago 2016 Olympics a reality, the dream faded away in a matter of moments.

But then later, when the final winner was announced tears of joy, and pride that finally, South America was recognized and it would enjoy the world-class status that Chicago might have gotten if we'd have won.

Latin America never gets its due in the United States because we are focused on our love/hate relationship with Mexico. Brazil -- widely credited with having the first major economy to steer out of the global economic meltdown -- is a perfect example of how progressive, cosmopolitan, young and hungry Latin America is.

And Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva or, as the world calls him, "Lula," was an international rock star before the United States even knew who Barack Obama was.

In terms of Gross Domestic Product Brazil has the 10th-largest economy in the world and the second-largest in the Americas, behind the United States. The 2016 Olympics will bring much needed infrastructure to a country that lacks in people amenities what it makes up for in oil and natural reserves.

Will the United States allow China and Middle Eastern actors to swoop in and invest in Brazil while we're off, distracted by other things? I hope not.

Either way, the first South American Olympics in a place as sexy, glamorous, and edgy as Rio is a tremendous source of pride for the millions of U.S.-born Hispanics whose familial roots stretch not only south of the border, but south of the hemisphere.

Esther J. Cepeda writes about Chicago, South America, and much, much more on www.600words.com

Follow Esther J. Cepeda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@ejc600words

Comments

[Esther J. Cepeda - Huffpost Blogger]

I will have you know that at this morning's Executive's Club breakfast, when he could have taken the high road, Pat Ryan threw Rio under the bus along with some sour grapes.

"[IOC] people didn't vote the way they said they would. [Rio] was about a loyalty vote in the region, we only had two votes - [one being the Canadians] and the others declared themselves Latin and voted for the Latins," he said with more than just a bit of distaste.

He went on, with the back-handed well-wishes: "We compliment Rio, we hope and expect Rio to deliver as promised. I believe Rio will, but I think you should know in 2012 their bid was deemed not adequate. In June of 2008 they came in fifth after Doha.

We knew all along that we wouldn't be able to trump [Brazil's bid] because the five rings represent the continents...the judges said [Rio] was ready so that's what happened," Ryan added.

Bad form- breaking bad on the winner by explaining away Rio's victory. That doesn't really uphold those Olympic values that were discussed so much this morning, does it?

Say what you want Mr. Ryan, but they won, it's done - there's no use in making them look bad in order to make us look better.

[joceeco]

This article reminds me of a quote I came across from Henry Cabot Lodge concerning the different ehtnic groups in America. In 1919 lodge was the leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committie. While the topic of his speech was not immigration or immigrants, he mentions immigration. He said, "we must not forget that we have in this country millions of people of foriegn birth and parentage. We cannot Americanize them if we are continually thrusting them back into the quarrells and difficulties of the country from which they came to us." he continues, "we shall have a large portion of our people voting not on American questions and not on what concerns the United States, but on the issues which concern foreign countries alone," I am an African American, a US Army Veteran and I am proud of the contributions of my ancestors to this land that we call America and as an American from one of the minority groups, I can understand why the people from different ethnic groups like to speak of the pride they have in their birth countries or their parent birth countries, but I do not understand how any American can find comfort in Chicago having lost the bid for the 2016 Games.

[Nommo]

North American? South or Central American? The 2016 Olympics will be in the Americas. The Brazilian part.

[chisoxpoet]

1) It is important to realize the deep ties between Brazil and Europe and understand that is why they won. According to two people on the IOC I know they had the French, Italians, Portuguese, Germans and British votes wrapped up. Brazil is very tied to Europe.
2) I am glad someone mentioned that Brazilians are not hispanics but they are Latinos as are Italians, French, Romanians and Portuguese.
3) The reason Chicago lost is because a cabal of Right Wingers/narrow minded people waged a campaign attacking Chicago. The video of the murder on the south side was sent out to every major newssite on the internet but the video of last years mass shooting in Rio where 34 people were killed on a highway was not circulated.
4) The No games Chicago people should be Ashamed of themselves- they cost Chicago over 100,000 jobs. As a person who works in the event business it cost well over 2.2 billion in tax revenue and for what??

[FloresdelaHoz]

So there is no such things as Portuguese Hispanics? Since pure bred Portuguese are Visigoth - Celtic Iberians as are Spanish, why are they not Hispanics? Why are their mixed blood descendants different than in Neighboring Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia or Peru?

Why do Brazilian and Portuguese immigrants claim to be Hispanic for purposes of employment and education in the US?

[spikeykitten]

"U.S. born- Hispanics whose familial roots stretch not only south of the border, but south of the hemisphere."

The non U.S. born parents of the U.S. born Hispanics who could either run jump or swim are the true Olympians.

[LMPE]

My proposals for the next hosts: Havana, Cuba; Windhoek, Namibia; Calcutta, India; Apia, Samoa

[FreshwaterDrum]

We'll just have to beat them at soccer. Oh wait....

Dang.

[305Rider]

You never know, Brazil never puts its best players in the Olympics. Those guys are reserved for the World Cup.

[FreshwaterDrum]

True that. But even their third division players would dominate our MLS. Mrs. Drum (from Sao Paulo) always is mildly amused watching Americans play futebol. I can see the "As If" on her face.

[NCAV2]

Brazilians do not not label themselves as Hispanic.

[Esther J. Cepeda - Huffpost Blogger]

I know, I never said they were. See my response to "Rio Jose"

[Rio Jose]

Brazilians do not consider themselves "Hispanic". Hispanic relates to a relationship with Spain. Portugal and Brazil do not have an affinity for Spain as does Spanish speaking Latim America. They were rivals during the age of exploration and colonization. Many Brazilians never even thought of the term "Hispanic". Please be more careful in your writing and headlines.

[Esther J. Cepeda - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear "Rio Jose,"

I am not talking about Brazilians being proud. I never mentioned Brazilians at all - it is a given that the Brazilian people are proud to be the 2016 host city (unless they had a cabal of Brazilian "No Games" people like we did).

I am talking about U.S.-born Hispanics and Latinos (note that they are interchangeable terms) whose parents came from a country in South America (like mine) who are proud because the 2016 games will bring prestige and awareness to South America.

Brazil made history today. Brazil is in South America. Many U.S. Hispanics have family from/in South America. Despite the fact I would have loved Chicago to be the winner, I'm still proud for South America. That was my point.

[FloresdelaHoz]

But for the Spanish Navy and Marines blasting the Dutch out of Brazil after they thoroughtly defeated the Portuguese in the 1620s, Brazil would be Dutch.

Portugal was part of the Spanish empire from 1580 to 1640. Spain has been more of an older brother than a rival of Portugal.

[ALMirri]

If you really want to understand the real reasons why Brazil has won the Olympics, you should pay attention to the humanitarian role this country has been playing in the world today, specially its policies on behalf of the people living in the poor countries. Recently the Brazilian president signed a law to take in all the illegal immigrants living in the country, no matter where they came from, the color of their skin or their educational skills.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jpFFnnFhgJCEKUvnhSOe9RI6eUAA
Brazil has also been affected by the current economic crisis, but despite all the difficulties, the country is not ignoring the importance of integrating the immigrants to native society and also the economies of poor countries to the global economy. I think such gestures are far more important than empty words from “civilized” countries toward humanity and civil rights, while their policemen are humiliating their immigrants in their airports and borders’ checkpoints. Brazil has teaching the world the wider meaning of tolerance and democracy, so I think it deserved to host the Olympic Games.

[FreshwaterDrum]

By and large, what you say is true. But please also consider the fact that their economy, and their place on the world stage in 2009 is like the USA was around 100 years ago, emerging into a world power. Right now, their economy is growing at a rate only eclipsed by China and India. They didn't take anywhere near as big of a hit as everyone else did during the bank collapse because Brazilians don't weigh themselves down in debt like we do. Politically, it took them almost 500 years to set up a stable western style democracy, and now taking in an unchecked flow of immigrants is to their benefit, and within their means.

Comparing the US role in the world to the Brazilians is like saying your 16 year old cheerleader niece deserves more adulation than your 58 year old aunt because auntie can't fall into the splits from a backflip.

Apples and apples, please. Or should I say, mangoes and mangoes.

Parabens, Rio.