RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil's tourism minister says he's not worried that a recent spike in violence in Rio de Janeiro may deter visitors from attending next year's Olympic Games in the city.
Vinicius Lages says studies have shown that insecurity is not a major worry for visitors.
After a years-long dip in levels of violence in the megacity of 12 million, Rio has seen a spike in insecurity, including recent highly publicized waves of deaths by stray bullets and mass robberies on its showcase beaches.
Lages said "in all the studies we've done, security does not appear to be the problem."
He was speaking to reporters Tuesday on the sidelines of a two-day conference on the Olympics and tourism.
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