It's no wonder the president was booed and consequently gave up on doing a speech on the opening ceremony of the Games.

I suppose that will be the last Olympic hosting Brazil will see in a while.

The politicians there not only are bad at what they do, but they dare dream of hosting the Olympics. What a lack of perception.

Marcio Kelmanson, Brooklyn, NY

This article is irresponsible. The articles makes the immediate connection between the cost of the games and corruption in Brazil. While for sure there is corruption in Brazil, the cost overruns may not be linked to corruption at all - no evidence of corruption has come has come up yet. Actually cost overruns are too common in these types of event. The London Olympics construction has not even started and estimated costs have already gone from £2.4 billion to £9.4 billion. Not to mention the cost overruns of the Millenium Dome and Wembley...

Bruno della Latta, London, Uk

If an Englishman is speaking ill of Brazil, I would simply remind him that Brazil has five stars on its jersey, while England only has the right to wear one.
Brazil is growing by leaps and bounds--check out this week's Economist comparison pages at the back of the issue. As for security, I have been to watch soccer at night in Sao Januario, in Morumbi, in Pacaembu, in Serra Dourada and even in Bruno Daniel, and I left in good health. As for corruption, the Brazilian senate is getting ready to expel from its ranks a third President of the Senate in seven years. In my Senate in the District of Confusion, we consider corruption to be "lobbying" and allow the immoral and traitorous behavior to continue. Brazil doesn't need to apologize to anyone. As for the World Cup, it has earned the right to host it ten times (Mexico has had it twice and won zilch). If Brazil wants the World Cup games to be played on the beach or in the jungle, the pampered europeans should deal with it.

Jeff Taylor, Knoxville, Tennessee

I agree with my counterpart regarding forgetting about Mr. Silva, and would add thathe equally forgot to mention how truly amazing the opening cerimony was.

Gil Coker, Sunrise, Florida, USA

I know we have a lot of problems such as corruption and inefficient local, state and federal government, but we have to stop complain and star to look to ours self's. We have to start to change our country changing our attitude and realize that probably we have the government that we deserves.

Ricardo Fasanello, Rio de Janeiro, R.J.

Knowing well this country, unfortunately your accurate description of the cronic problems which became part of life in Brazil are no news to me.

Perhaps the only upside of these Panamerican games for Brazil will be raising awareness, mainly amongst Brazilians themselves, that what the country really needs is heavy investments in education and severe actions to decrease the corruption that rains in that country.

On a sidenote, I cannot describe how disappointing has been Mr Lula da Silva's performance as a president. No wonder that the public had such a negative reaction against him last night...

Regis Gama, Montreal, Canada

They spend US$ 1,5 billions with the panamerican games and don´t have money for the miserable population of the Brasilian Northeast. The area of the country where the population has life´s conditions equal to Africa. And our miserable president just know to steal the people.

Sorry my mistakes. I´m learning English!!!

Ítalo Oliveira, Salvador, Bahia/Brazil

We are so sory abaut these illiterate Lula. Disgasting !
But What shuld we do to Keek him out ?

joão roberto, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

That's a shame some Brazilians still prefer to just let things go, I mean not support to host such important sports events because a group of politicians may see it as an opportunity to steal more money from the taxpayers or because we (Brazilians) still aren't able to meet budgets or control the crime in Rio or wherever . But that's a chance to THINK and make it professional, improve, import intellingence from rich countries, learn to meet budgets like professionals. Educate people who has the power, make it as an example to the world, do something, even if it means participation of others countries to help in areas we must need like security, education, etc, why not?...something must be done to change the situation, not just let it go.

Carlos Henri, London, UK

I agree with my counterpart regarding forgetting about Mr. Silva being booed, and would add that he equally forgot to mention how truly amazing the opening cerimony was.

Gil Coker, Sunrise, Florida, USA

There is no doubt all of the problems portrayed claim immediate attention, but the very fact of having the games here does surely bring to the country some benefits, such as investments, and puts in evidence the government's struggle to include the poor by means of the sport. Overstating the wrongs and not mentioning the positive aspects of the games only deepens the abyss between the so-called developed countries and the developing ones.

Leonardo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

With the 2014 World Cup, the situation would be much worse. First: people would have to take flights to all over the continental sized country, the air companies and airports will not be prepared for that by 2014 (or the air traffic control, the great responsible for the current crisis). Second: Brazil cannot build good quality football stadiums in 7 years, there will be no efforts for that after FIFA decides the cup will be here, the government will just forget about it and try to do magic by the end of the deadline. And third: violence issues, Rio is just the city with major problems, the hole country is in danger beacuse of criminals, added to poor police and inefficient justice.

Ed, Ilhéus, Brazil

As a Brazilian I'm really ashamed of seing these kind of reports in the international media. Mostly because I have to agree with them since I believe competitons like this should not be hosted here, despite the benefits it might bring later, because we have far greater issues to worry about and spend the taxpayers money on in this country, mainly education as mentioned in your report. The hopes of hosting a larger event such as the World Cup sound like a delirium to me. A delirium motivated by those involved in the organization, as well as politicians that see an opportunity to embezzle a few more millions from taxpayers. And worse, a hope motivated by a blind population that sits still while tens of scandals splash the cover of magazines and newspaper's firstpages while those responsible for that go on unpunished one after the other. Frankly I think it is not Mr. President who deserves to be booed, but the population who put him and his peers up there.

Claudio Mocelin, São Paulo, Brazil

Your report neglects to say that "president" Lula was booed a number of times by the crowd at the opening of the games and that he desisted in "declaring the games open"

Michael Jorden, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Lula is leading one of the most corrupt, incompetent and inefficient governments that Brazil has had in recent history. He was elected as a man from the people who was going to change Brazil. Today, to keep power, he is allied with the same old oligarchies that ruined Brazil. Yet, the largest part of the population, which are ignorant and lack enough common sense to judge right from wrong, idolise him as god and re-elected him due to good marketing and lies. He has supporters online to bully people that preach against him, his government and his way to run the state. They have a Marxist rhetoric reminiscent from the 50's and 60's during the cold war when "revolutionaries" wanted to create a "workers dictatorship". Most of his supporters believe that the middle class, which they call "elite", must be destroyed for the poor to rise. Yet, the corrupt political elite that run Brazil remain unaffected. Let’s hope he will not decide to run for a third term in office.

Fabio C, London, UK