RIO DE JANEIRO MAYOR-ELECT'S PLANS FOR THE CITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIO DE JANEIRO 000300 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV BR SUBJECT: RIO DE JANEIRO MAYOR-ELECT'S PLANS FOR THE CITY REF: BRASILIA 1414 ¶1. As reported in reftel, former Rio de Janeiro State Secretary for Sports and Tourism Eduardo Paes (PMDB Party) won the October 26 run-off election for Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, edging out Fernando Gabeira (Green Party - PV) by less than one percentage point. Endorsements by Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral and President Lula helped him get elected but have also set up expectations that Paes will be able to unite city, state and federal resources to revitalize the city of Rio de Janeiro. Highlights from his platform follow below. It remains to be seen how Mayor-elect Paes will prioritize these issues in his administration. PUBLIC SECURITY AND CRIME ¶2. Combating Rio's declining public security situation is a state responsibility, rather than a municipal one. Paes will likely defer to his close friend and ally Governor Cabral on operational security, choosing to focus more on the optics as it relates to the city's reputation and public image. He will control a small unarmed patrol force of Municipal Guard officers, who are most visible in tourist areas, and for whom he has advocated for additional equipment and training resources. He promises additional remote cameras in highly trafficked areas, especially around Copacabana Beach, and has pledged resources to protect the elderly and gay communities in particular. SOCIAL PROJECTS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ¶3. Mayor-elect Paes wants to expand the federal government's PAC (Program to Accelerate Growth) program to the poorer areas in Rio's north. In addition, he has pledged to partner with private industry as well as the state and federal governments on an ambitious housing and urban development plan. Paes proposes to spend USD 25 million per year on construction of public housing to relocate people from Rio's shantytown favelas, allocate additional funds to existing social projects in favelas, re-zone abandoned industrial areas for residential use, and build additional homeless shelters. He has identified the neighborhoods around the Maracana sports arena and the port complex as priorities for urban revitalization. HEALTH ¶4. The new mayor plans to expand the city's pilot program of community health care centers. He proposes to build 40 additional centers, especially in the city's poorer north area. He plans to allocate resources to renovate existing municipal hospitals, upgrade equipment, and hire additional health care professionals. Also, he proposes 5 new rehabilitation centers for the physically handicapped, 20 new centers for elderly people, and 3 new centers to treat obesity. Recognizing that another dengue fever epidemic threatens Rio de Janeiro this year, he is calling for a Dengue Fever Task Force to improve the city's emergency response plan. EDUCATION ¶5. A popular Paes campaign proposal was the elimination of the city's current policy in public schools to automatically promote students to the next grade regardless of performance. Paes promises to increase resources for teacher salaries and training, and to fund more technical/vocational training and sports programs as after-school alternatives for children. He also proposes to provide free public transportation for students, increase the number of city-run day care centers, and create a Municipal Fun to support to support educational research. TRANSPORTATION ¶6. Public transportation reform was one of Paes' main issues on the campaign trail. He is proposing significant changes to improve the city's congested transportation system and expand service to the outer suburbs. His plan includes a proposal to regulate pirated taxi/van services which are believed to play a role in funding organized criminal activity. In particular, Paes appears focused on linking the poorer west and north areas of the city (his political base) to the downtown and affluent southern neighborhoods where many of those community members work. To accomplish this, he is proposing to reorganize and re-license the city's 400-plus bus routes, augmenting them with regulated van service. Most significantly, Paes proposes to institute a single fare system which would include all transfers within a certain time period. He supports the state government's plan to extend one of the metro lines, and wants to invest USD 500 million in additional lines to expand service to the city's outer suburbs in the west. He has promised a renovated fleet of handicap accessible and fuel efficient trains and buses. TOURISM, CULTURE AND SPORTS EVENTS RIO DE JAN 00000300 002 OF 002 ¶7. From his recent position as State Secretary for Sports and Tourism, Paes has a solid understanding of the city's reliance on tourism revenue. He will offer incentives for companies to build and operate hotels, especially in the growing area of Barra da Tijuca in the city's west. He plans to privatize administration of Rio's new performing arts center, currently under construction at a cost of USD 400 million, and schedule up to twelve major cultural events in Rio per month. He has pledged to continue the current model for managing the city's Carnival festivities. Mayor-elect Paes also sees himself at the forefront of Rio's public relations initiative, serving as the city's primary lobbying to major event and sporting competition organizers. This role will be important in alleviating concerns about declining public security, given the city's preparations to host the 2014 World Cup Finals and its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. COMMENT ¶8. This election was the closest in Rio de Janeiro's history, with Eduardo Paes winning by just 55,225 votes. It highlights the political and economic divide between the different areas of the city. For example, Gabeira won the city's affluent south zone by a decisive margin, as well as the areas in the city's north and center. Paes won the city's highly populated poorer west zone. He also received support from the protestant churches and some of the catholic community, with the help of Senator Francisco Dornelles. ¶9. In total, around 1 million people (20 percent of registered voters) didn't go to the polls, and Paes likely benefited from the low voter turnout. Allegations have surfaced that Governor Cabral purposefully declared the Monday following election Sunday as a public holiday rather than the actual day (two days later) to encourage some potential Gabeira voters to take advantage of the long weekend to travel, and thus not vote. Paes' victory was slim, but Rio residents appear willing to give him a chance to prove that he can transform his endorsements from Governor Cabral and President Lula into more state and federal resources for the city. MARTINEZ