The Brazilian government
The Brazilian government confirmed on Tuesday the celebration of the Copa America and informed that the tournament will have at least four venues in the South American country, after Argentina and Colombia decided not to organize it.
The Copa America matches, which are expected to start on June 13, will be played in Mato Grosso, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Goias, according to the Minister of the Presidency, Luiz Ramos.
"Confirmed the Copa America in Brazil. Coherence prevailed! Brazil, which hosts the matches of the Libertadores, Sudamericana, not to mention the regional and Brazilian championships, could not turn its back on a traditional tournament like this," the minister said on Twitter.
Despite Minister Ramos confirming four venues, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stated at an event on Tuesday that the country is considering five venues, the four mentioned, although he did not reveal the name of the fifth state.
He also emphasized that the four confirmed venues are ready to "host the Copa America."
The leader of the Brazilian far-right has been supportive of hosting the tournament from the beginning, despite the worrying advance of the pandemic and the high circulation of more contagious variants, such as the P.1, of Brazilian origin.
The celebration of this Copa America comes surrounded by enormous controversy after the two original venues backed out: Colombia, due to violent protests in its territory, and Argentina, due to the critical situation of its hospitals.
With the tournament up in the air, Conmebol announced Brazil as the new and only host and specifically thanked Bolsonaro for "opening the doors" of the country to the Copa America.
In another event earlier, Bolsonaro assured that he has the support of his entire cabinet, including the Ministry of Health, for the celebration of the tournament on Brazilian territory.
However, this decision has generated indignation among political sectors, from the left to the center-right, and epidemiological specialists, as the country experiences a new surge in Covid-19 cases.
With 462,000 deaths and 16.5 million infected, Brazil is the most affected country in Latin America by the coronavirus; the second in the world with the most deaths, after the United States; and the third with the most positive cases, behind the North Americans and India. EFE