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Rio governor warns Olympics could be ‘big failure,’ security major concern

Brazilian federal police officers close the road during the security drill for the transfer of athletes at Maracana Stadium which will host soccer matches for Rio 2016 Olympic Games on June 19, 2016. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images

Rio de Janeiro’s acting governor is warning that the Olympic Games could be a “big failure.”

Francisco Dornelles has said in an interview with O Globo newspaper published on Monday that security and mobility are big worries ahead of the games in August.

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He says the state is still awaiting a 2.9 billion Brazilian real ($860 million) payout from the federal government aimed at shoring up state coffers ahead of the event.

READ MORE: Australia’s Olympic team calls for higher security in Rio after 2 team members robbed at gunpoint

The metro line that was meant to ferry tourists to the main Olympic venue in western Rio is still not ready. And Dornelles has warned that there’s only enough gas money to continue police patrols through the end of this week.

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Dornelles is quoted as saying, “without security and without the metro there will be difficulties.”

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