Brazilians Bring Out Chained Jaguar As Prop For Olympic Torch Ceremony . . . Police Then Shoot Jaguar After Ceremony As Threatening

The Olympics in Brazil have already been an unmitigated disaster and the first race is weeks off. Despite warnings about the environmental and political conditions in Rio De Janeiro, the International Olympic Committee (which has distinguished itself for a long litany of moronic decisions) refused to yield to such warnings. Now, athletes, commentators, and fans are staying away of the country in fear of crime, pollution, and disease. The country is in financial and political chaos as the country still has not fulfilled many of its commitments. For all those reasons, the organizers must have been relieved to finally hold the Olympic torch ceremony in Manaus, but then were left reeling from another disaster. The organizers brought out a chained jaguar named Juma as a backdrop for the photoshoot. Once it was over, police used tranquilizers on the jaguar after it broke loose from its handlers. A soldier then killed it when it continued to move toward him.

A yellow jaguar known as Ginga is the mascot of the Brazilian Olympic team.

The event was held at a military training center. The local organizers apologized and said “We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values. We guarantee that there will be no more such incidents at Rio 2016.”

Hopefully, changing the use of wild animals is one promise that the committee could keep. Now they just need to deal with the dangerous pathogens and bacteria in the water, riots in the streets, and uncompleted buildings.

By the way, the jaguar is a nearly threatened species and the use of Juma at the event was illegal. Welcome to the Rio games.