Encountering Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is, quite often, a spectacular sight – both literally and metaphorically. However, for one Brazilian tourist, the trip resulted in a tragedy, underscoring a glaring concern: the absence of ambulance services at one of the most renowned landmarks on the planet.
A Heartbreaking Event at The Pinnacle of the Globe.
54 year old Alex Duarte from Rio Grande do Sul set out to visit the Christ the Redeemer monument on March 16. Everything seemed alright until he made progressed upwards to the stairs leading to statue’s base. Suddenly, he fell ill shortly after, around 7:39 AM.
People around him, including a nephew and a priest from the Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer, hurried to offer assistance, and these initial attempts included CPR. It was a desperate attempt on their part to keep him alive.
Here’s where things went horribly wrong—there were no medical personnel on hand. The best services arrived 8:13 AM, far too late to save. He passed away mere minutes after the team’s arrival. Along with the hospital’s confirming he had a heart attack, Duarte’s demise was completely avoidable.
Public Indignation Regarding Insufficient Medical Services
Duarte’s nephew declared war on social media, criticizing the monument for its “unbelievable” lack of emergency medical services. Apparently, even the park’s medical office was closed at the time of the incident. The site management later argued that their medical office opens at 8 AM, so staff were technically available when Duarte collapsed.
The Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer issued a harsh statement regarding the infrastructure deficit at the site claiming it had no ambulances, no accessible pathways, no drinking fountains, no emergency response teams, insufficient restrooms, malfunctioning escalators and elevators, and inadequate cell phone reception.
Government vs. Sanctuary: Who Takes Control?
The Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary and its vicinity is administrated by ICMBio (The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) which is the agency responsible for the management of national parks in Brazil. ICMBio, however, responded saying that it is the responsibilty of the private companies that manage tourist accesss that take care of these issues.
Father Omar Raposo, Sanctuary rector, has been quite active on this subject. He said that Brazil’s federal government does not allocate enough money for the maintenance of ICMBio.
This is Brazil’s most notable tourist attraction, but as far as infrastructure goes, it’s like a Deserted Island. Bruh told Crux.
There is a history of dispute between the church and ICMBio. In 2021, Raposo, along with other priests, lamented about being barred from the sanctuary and accosted by park staff.
“Without sugar-coating it, it’s a thousand times worse as there’s been a death here,” he went on.
An Afterthought Which Was Done Too Late
After Duarte’s death, the government closed the site on March 17. Out of rage, Raposo tried to close the monument but wound up funding an ambulance service instead.
Strangely enough, a Danish tourist began feeling unwell while hiking up to the site on March 18, the first day Christ the Redeemer opened its doors to the public. Luckily, they had an ambulance on standby and he was transferred to a hospital immediately where he was treated and released within hours.
“Another tragedy could have happened. Thankfully, we made sure an ambulance was here,” remarked Raposo.
Although this incident had a far more optimistic outcome, it does raise an even greater question – how could medical aid take so long to reach one of Brazil’s most frequented tourist attraction?