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RIO DE JANEIRO: The main tourist attractions of Rio de Janeiro, the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the Brazilian city, reopened to the public on Saturday (August 15) after being closed for five months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The reopening of Christ (monument) symbolizes Brazil’s reopening of tourism,” the Minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles, said in a rite at the foot of the statue.
Visitors will have to wear a mask and their social distance, and will not be allowed to lie on the ground, as many do to see to get the most productive angle for photographs at the foot of the huge Art Deco statue with their arms outstretched.
Located in the most sensitive of the Corcovado hill at 710m in the center of Rio in the Tijuca National Park, the monument provides stunning panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.
Since social estrangement measures forced its closure in March, Christ the Redeemer has continued to serve as a devout sanctuary, offering public masses and holding vigils to honor fitness staff and pandemic victims.
The Pao de Acucar cable car, which provides its own panoramic view of the city, the AquaRio Aquarium and the giant Rio Star, Latin America’s largest Ferris wheel, opened last year in the port area, also reopened to the public on Saturday.
The Brazilian National Confederation of Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC) estimates that the country’s tourism sector has lost R$154 billion ($28.4 billion) in the last five months, operating at 14% of its capacity.
The state of Rio de Janeiro, with a population of 17 million, has recorded more than 14,500 deaths and nearly 190,000 cases of the new coronavirus, according to official statistics.
The capital itself, which began a slow economic reopening in June, recorded 33 deaths and 1365 new instances in just 24 hours.
Brazil, with 106,500 dead and 3.2 million cases to date, is the most affected country in the world, after the United States.
Un certain when a vaccine will be available, the Rio government has announced a new format for the new year-end celebrations that historically draw millions of people to Copacabana Beach for a massive fireworks display.
This year, the government intends to organize a series of small celebrations in the city and is urging others to see the occasions online.
The world-famous Rio Carnival, with its massive street parties, is also in danger of being cancelled by the pandemic.
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