translated from Spanish: Brazil will decide today if it accepts host of the Copa America amid criticism and a pandemic that gives no respite

Conmebol surprised by assigning the copa america venue to Brazil, a country that was not in anyone’s initial consideration in the face of rumors that the tournament could be moved to Chile or the United States, after removing the initial venue from Argentina on Sunday night.
The choice of Brazil generated criticism both inside and outside that country, considering that their health situation due to the coronavirus is just as complicated as that of the Argentines, the main argument for taking the tournament to the trans-Andeans.
But the situation in Brazil is just as pressing. It reaches more than 16 million infections, on average in the last seven days there are over 60 thousand daily cases of covid-19, and deaths are steepening over 1,800 daily, with several days last week over 2,000 deaths, and a total since March last year exceeding 462,000 fatalities.
That’s why last night it was the Brazilian government itself that sowed a blanket of doubt about the organization of the tournament. In Brasilia spoke the Minister of the Civil House, Luiz Eduardo Ramos, -the head of the Cabinet of the Presidency- and revealed that the organization of the Cup is not yet approved by the authorities, something that will only be discussed today with President Jair Bolsonaro. “Nothing is certain, I want to say it very clearly. We are in the middle of the process, but we will not avoid a lawsuit, if we can meet it,” Ramos said.
Of course, he hinted that they look favorably on the organization, but he put several preconditions that Conmebol must overcome to carry out the appointment. “It is important to note that this event, if it takes place, will not have an audience. At the moment, there are ten teams at most and 65 people for each delegation, all vaccinated,” he said.
“There is no signed document, only negotiations,” insisted Ramos, who also indicated that the organization of the tournament “will be the responsibility of the Brazilian Football Confederation,” which will have to negotiate with each state to define which stadiums will be used.
There is still no official fixture, but the venues would be in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Natal, Recife and Brasilia. In the latter, the final would be played at the Mané Garrincha Stadium. On the other hand, the governors of Pernambuco and Rio Grande du sul and norte have already been ruled out as options. “The current epidemiological scenario does not allow the realization of an event of the magnitude of the America’s Cup in the territory of Pernambuco”, they said from the state chaired by Paulo Câmara.
Nor do the Workers’ Party (PT) agree on the measure. “Is this serious? In the midst of the pandemic, the arrival of the third wave, at risk from lack of beds and supplies and with slow vaccination? Unbelievable!” wrote President Gleisi Hoffmann.
Those who have been favorable are those in charge of other states in the country. Ibaneis Rocha, in charge of the federal government of Brasilia, commented positively that “as long as the necessary sanitary measures are respected, I have nothing against it.” Joao Doria, governor of Sao Paulo, did not rule out receiving a match of the tournament, but clarified that “we will wait for the next stages (in the organization), but sao paulo’s concern is to save lives. That (saving lives) is the best championship; that’s the best cup.”
Doria, of course, left the door open highlighting the work that has been done in prevention with the state tournament. “I want to clarify that the Paulista Federation has strictly complied with the protocols of the Sao Paulo Prevention Plan and we did not have any kind of problem either during the championship or in the finals, and that the leaders of the clubs acted in a very prudent and responsible way.”
Abide by decision
In Chile, the sporting director of the national teams, Francis Cagigao, said that all that remained was to accept what had been decided. “The truth is that we are here to abide by it. That is the decision made by Conmebol and we have to respect the decision. Obviously every player and person involved in the Copa America and in this prestigious tournament, is going to want it to be able to be done and played. We want it to be done in the maximum sanitary conditions to respect physical integrity,” he said.
Sifup also expressed doubts about taking Brazil to the tournament and indicated that they contacted the world football union to express their concern. Even Deputy Matias Walker, a member of the House Sports Committee, asked the ANFP to analyze the situation and not expose the squad in the tournament.
All this after Alejandro Domínguez, president of Conmebol, thanked President Jair Bolsonaro for receiving the Cup, something that is looking more and more distant from doing. Even last night the O’Globo media indicated that the government had decided to close the borders to foreigners, which was taken as another measure that went against the tournament, but later it was clarified that the ban was only for “the entry, by air or river, of maritime crew members.”

Original source in Spanish