Obama cancels public speech in Rio square: embassy

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Obama cancels public speech in Rio square: embassy
(AFP) – 6 hours ago

BRASILIA — President Barack Obama has cancelled a public speech he was scheduled to deliver Sunday in a Rio square during his upcoming visit to Brazil, the US embassy in Brasilia said.

The speech in the historic plaza known as Cinelandia, in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, "is cancelled," an embassy spokeswoman told AFP.

Obama instead will deliver remarks at Rio's Municipal Theatre, the official said, without specifying whether it would be open to the public or exclusively for invited guests.

No explanation for the change of venue was given by the embassy. Brazilian authorities have laid out a heavy security presence for Obama's two-day visit to South America's largest nation, and police in Rio had closed numerous streets from midnight Thursday in preparation.

On Thursday, members of an advance US security team were seen inspecting the surroundings of Cinelandia, where anti-US banners could be seen hanging from a road-side fence.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g9L7zjYUWD3T0qZkVmjFnq15a58g?docId=CNG.d09217177032cbbc9a7b49e80f70edcb.331

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A memory refresher concerning _{George W. Bush's} visit to Brazil. The signs reading "Fora Bush" are requesting he leaves Brazil!







Massive protests against Bush’s visit to Brazil

Brazilian social movements were planning massive demonstrations against a visit to their country by U.S. President George W. Bush .

Bush begins his official, 24-hour visit tonight, and since early in the morning, Brazilians have taken to the streets of the nation’s 27 states to shout “Bush out!”

The protests actually began earlier in the week, and have become stronger every day, which is why nobody is questioning how large they will be on Thursday.

More:
http://neoncobra.blogspot.com/2007/03/massive-protests-against-bushs-visit-to.html

[gateley]

1. Sounds like security concerns, don't you think? I'd be interested to see the

CURRENT protest signs. nt

[valerief]

2. Me too. nt

[dipsydoodle]

3. Probably just Tippex'd

and the new name inserted or may "Go home El Change You Can Believe In".

[dipsydoodle]

4. More here at La Prenza Latina

With great fanfare the organizers even talked about the possibility that Obama's speech from a balcony of the municipal theater could be preceded by a concert of Brazilian artists, but as of Thursday afternoon none had confirmed their attendance.

On the contrary, earlier this week, Brazilian social movements and trade unions called for a mass demonstration against Obama, organized for Sunday at the now-cancelled public speech.

The organizers are demanding the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Naval Base, a territory occupied against the will of the Cuban people; the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Israeli attacks on Palestine.

They are also demanding better relations with Latin America, and end to the U.S. blockade against Cuba, and rights undocumented immmigrants in the United States.

http://www.plenglish.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272926&Itemid=73

Given that the Bush protests were against the US , not Bush personally , its hardly surprising that similar protests are occurring now with the presense of Obama. The Brazilians seem to have succesfully turned this into a non event.

edit to add : Modificado el ( viernes, 18 de marzo de 2011 ) Doesn't that sound sweet :)

[Judi Lynn]

5. Thanks for adding this helpful info. Should be interesting to see how this goes. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

6. Obama retreats from popstar plans in Rio de Janeiro

Obama retreats from popstar plans in Rio de Janeiro
Mar 18, 2011, 18:59 GMT

Rio de Janeiro - US President Barack Obama heads to Brazil late Friday for a two-day visit that was to have ended with a mass open-air public rally on Sunday in one of the city's most famous squares, the central Cinelandia.

The speech had been billed on posters around the city as 'Obama talks to the Brazilian people' and in fact had been considered not only the highlight of his visit to Brazil but also of his entire five-day journey that is to include Chile and El Salvador.

But the US embassy in Brazil Friday announced a last-minute change of plans, moving the venue from the large square to an indoor venue, the Municipal Theatre.

It did not explain the reasons for the change.

Members of the group that is organizing Obama's visit told Brazilian state news agency ABR that the change was due to security concerns. Risks for Obama's physical integrity apparently rose greatly after the UN Security Council endorsed action to end clashes in Libya.

More:
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/americas/news/article_1627186.php/Obama-retreats-from-popstar-plans-in-Rio-de-Janeiro