Rio de Janeiro was chosen to be the site of the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympiad in 2016. Those choices are not disconnected to the increasing economic and political influence of Brazil. Brazil is in a positive roll for years. The last economic crisis brought this new Brazil to the attention of the World and the International Olympic Committee choice was, in fact, the recognition of the continuous strengthening of the country.
Those events will also be a major factor in the Brazilian economy from now on and the fade out will take years. It is not only the infrastructural investment in the pre-Games period and even not the revenues the events will bring.
It will brand Brazil as an economic superpower.
The consequences will be a huge push to the Brazilians' self esteem and to the economy of their country.
Spain (Barcelona 1992) and South Korea (Seoul 1998) got out of the Olympic Games as completely different countries in the eyes of the World and in the eyes of themselves. In 1964 the Olympics helped Japan to arise from the wrecks of the World War II into economic prosperity. Beijing 2008 caused China to finish 5000 years of isolationism. This is not automatic.
On the other side, Greece lost a great opportunity with the Athens games in 2004.
The main difference is that Spain, Japan and China were ready for the challenge. It reflected in the attitude of the government and the people. They wanted to succeed.
Brazil, too, will do everything to make those events unforgettable experiences. The Carnival we saw in Copacabana and the tears in the eyes of Lula brought a new meaning to the selection of Brazil.