BRASMLIA: Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff greets the Olympic flame on Tuesday in what could be her last big public appearance as president if she is impeached.
The arrival of the flame in Brasilia from an ancient Greek temple via Switzerland will start a three-month countdown to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Brazil’s big chance to shine on the global stage.
The flame will be met with indigenous rituals, dangled from a helicopter and carried on a canoe, on foot and on horseback to mark its arrival for the first Olympics in South America.
Rousseff will take hold of the torch in her presidential Planalto Palace in the capital. It will then be carried around the country by a relay of 12,000 people before reaching the legendary Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the start of the Games on August 5.
The president, 68, will meanwhile be counting down the days until next week. On May 11 or 12 the Senate is expected to vote to open an impeachment trial against her over allegations that she illegally manipulated government accounts.
