Torch relay going to almost 250 cities before Rio 2016
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The 2016 Olympic torch relay will pass through nearly 250 cities in Brazil, giving 90 percent of the population the chance to see it, before finishing in Rio. "The torch will go to all corners of Brazil, to the furthest and most difficult points, to allow the Brazilian people to participate," organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman told reporters at a launch event on Thursday. The relay will pass through the capitals of all the 26 states, plus the federal district of Brasilia, via a route of 20,000 kilometers and last about 100 days. Nuzman said work was being carried out to ensure the relay was safe. "The federal government is working on security together with local and state governments for all the places the torch will pass," he explained before adding that the plans "should put everyone at ease". A recent survey by Mexican advocacy group Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice found Brazil had 19 of the world's 50 most dangerous cities as calculated by murder rates last year. (Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer, editing by Tony Jimenez)
