Analogy fail.

This weekend, O Globo quoted mayor Eduardo Paes as saying that the restorations in Rio's Port Zone are comparable to the Olympic-related upgrading in East London.* Seemingly, this comparison was based on the fact that both restorations are taking place in "degraded neighborhoods". Yes, folks, the similarities are almost overwhelming!

No, in fact, they are not. The similarities end right there. Let's take a look at a few things East London and the Port Zone revival projects definitely DO NOT have in common. Behold:

London has designated nearly half of its Olympic Village housing units for low-income occupation after the Games. Does that compare to the forced removals of comunidade residents in the Port Zone (see: Providencia)? Does that compare to not offering to re-house these families in anything remotely on-par with an Olympic Village apartment?

Is East London also installing some sort of tourist-oriented teleferico that no one who lives in East London will actually use? Will East London's teleferico also necessitate removing some of the city's poorest residents so that gringo tourists can enjoy a scenic view?

Is East London auctioning off public land for private investment???

The jokes write themselves, my friends.

*Paes also failed to correctly name the region of London in question. In fact, he said "West Zone" of London.