UCAN REPORT
Government snubs $38m bailout request
Christ the Redeemer, Rio (picture: Shutterstock)
- Donna Bowater for Independent Ireland
- THE Vatican has asked Brazil for an additional €30.3m to help cover an expected shortfall in funding for the visit of the Pope to Rio de Janeiro later this month, according to reports.
Pope Francis will make his first international trip to the world's largest Catholic country for the WorldYouth Day celebrations to be held between July 23 and 28. A shortage in the expected millions of pilgrims – whose contributions are part-funding the cost – led to the Vatican identifying a black hole of up to €51m, according to Brazilian media.
But Brazil's federal, state and city officials in Rio de Janeiro, who have already committed at least €46.7m of public money to the €117m event, are said to have refused to contribute any more.
It is understood that recent mass protests across Brazil – in which more than a million people demonstrated against the lack of investment in public services compared with the Pope's visit, the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics – may have played a part in the decision.
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS - Independent Ireland
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