In the center of the field of the main coliseum of the National Stadium, dozens of workers work to give life to an immense stage that has the shape of Chile: long and thin. Behind rests the torch, still unlit, while in the locker room area – which was not remodeled, like many other sectors – the technicians run to get everything ready for the ceremony that this Friday will begin the 2023 Pan American Games.
In the immense press center, the Colombian Sebastián Yatra gives a press conference to explain his presentation at the ceremony, accompanying three of the main Chilean musical groups of the last 50 years: Los Jaivas, Los Tres and Los Bunkers, who will perform a journey through the country’s soundtrack since it lost its first Games, in 1975, until now when it is preparing to pay a debt with the continent that also had to give way in 1987 when the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet declared itself unable to build the necessary infrastructure . For the young people, there will be Ana Tijoux, one of the performers of the Games anthem.
In the brand new Aquatic Center, the Mexican star Alejandra Orozco rehearses her first dive of the afternoon, demonstrating that the main infrastructure work of the National Stadium Sports Park is now operational, despite doubts regarding the deadlines. The venue has a total of 64 hectares that house a good part of the stages where the competitions will be held, and which is the main legacy of the event. Building it was complex, since several spaces are protected land as they house the memorials to those detained and tortured in this stadium for the 1973 Coup d’état, by order of the Government Junta.
Nuanced by peculiar problems, one of the main challenges of the Government of Gabriel Boric is to overcome the previous hours with a dose of optimism. The theft of valuable audiovisual equipment from a container inside the premises forced security to be increased. The rupture of a matrix threatened to leave the pool at half capacity; Leaks in the apartments of the Olympic village mobilized almost a hundred teachers to repair the damage to the homes that after the games will house families who are homeless today. And they cared little that the keys that open the doors of each of those homes were not individualized, which forced another immense logistical effort.
Details, they say from the organization, for the million-dollar investment made. President Gabriel Boric, on tour in China, undertook a frantic return in a small Air Force plane to be present at the opening night. “Always in such big issues, with these characteristics, there may be some potholes, but all the work is being done to make this turn out impeccable. So far, I believe that the organization has been up to par and I can guarantee that every effort is being made to ensure that there are no problems. One can always encounter problems. The Government’s disposition is that this be solved, that all the difficulties that are faced as soon as possible, that the athletes and the fans, all the people who go to see it, have all the comforts and facilities,” Boric said before returning, on a flight that included eight stops before reaching the lighting of the flame.
In terms of sport, it is the biggest challenge faced in its history by Chile, which will have 655 representatives in the event and the hope of seeing several of them qualified for Paris 2024. What the athletes have regretted is not having had more time to practice. in the new scenarios, which were delivered at the last minute.
For now, shortly before the start there are hundreds of tons of garbage to clear and countless completion or technological implementation tasks to implement in the next few hours. And for that, hundreds of workers and volunteers work in triple shifts who aim to leave the best image of the country, not only for the athletes, but also for the thousands of tourists who will arrive. And they were already warned by their embassies: “Take care of your belongings, do not drink alcohol inside the park and under no circumstances should you attempt to bribe or insinuate the delivery of money to the police force.”
When the Pan-American torch is lit in the cauldron, a long and opprobrious path will be culminating for Chile, which seeks to pay off its debts and project itself to the world thanks to the games, postponing the investigation and analysis of the extra cost that it had to pay to accomplish the task, and , according to the organizers themselves, will be left for “after having celebrated the end of this party.” In his most difficult task he arrived on time, but with very little margin. So the potholes that the president denounced may arise again.
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