Troops, armoured cars protect G20 summit, as favelas champion solar

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil has deployed troops, armoured vehicles and naval ships to reinforce security around the summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies who meet on Monday (Nov 18) and Tuesday at Rio de Janeiro's bayside Museum of Modern Art.

Air traffic, including the use of drones, has been restricted and flights canceled for two days at the domestic Santos Dumont Airport nearby.

Authorities are taking no chances after a failed bomb attack on Brazil's Supreme Court in the capital Brasilia on Wednesday (Nov 13).

Police said a right-wing activist killed himself with explosives outside the court after trying to enter with a homemade bomb.

Army soldiers patrolled the vicinity of the museum, streets were closed off to traffic and armoured cars parked outside the building where G20 leaders will gather.

Naval boats patrolled the scenic Botafogo Bay between the museum and Rio's iconic Sugarloaf Mountain, while marines ran ashore from landing craft on an adjacent beach.

"We can deploy troops very quickly from our naval base by using the sea as an access route if we need to reinforce security here," Marine Captain Goncalves Maia told reporters.

Federal police said they swept the museum for bomb risks and positioned snipers around the building to protect the 84 leaders and ministers expected to attend the summit.

The government implemented a so-called Guarantee of Law and Order measure that allows temporary deployment of military forces during the summit with the power to detain and arrest any suspect.

"We are operating at the highest level of security possible given the stature of the foreign authorities that will be here," said Federal Police Director Andrei Rodrigues.

A security force of 26,000 members, including 2,900 military personnel, will police the area and protect the summit venue.

SOLAR CHAMPIONS

Meanwhile, for residents of Morro da Babilonia, one of Rio de Janeiro's underdeveloped 'favela' neighborhoods, locals hope a project of theirs will find its place in the sun.

Within walking distance of Rio's famous Copacabana beach, Babilonia has been slowly expanding its use of solar power since 2015, with local non-profit Revolusolar installing panels to power some 50 families' homes in a community of less than 4,000.

Next year, the non-profit hopes to expand to 100 families at a cost of US$260,000.

Revolusolar has been participating in the G20 Social, a side event created by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for non-government groups to take part in the global forum. Lula is set to join the G20 Social's closing ceremony on Saturday alongside first lady Janja Lula da Silva.

"We managed to deliver one of our documents to her," said Adriano Hazad, a Babilonia local and Revolusolar employee, who took the event as a chance to discuss plans with Rio state officials.

The non-profit, that also provides solar power to eight other communities across Brazil, including an Indigenous community in the Amazon rainforest, hope the visibility will bring funding and government support for sustainable energy in favelas.

"When we are a showcase for the world, I believe it's the time to stand out and make our project grow," said Hazad.