Troubles Plague Taylor Swift’s Rio Concert: Deaths, Thefts, Heat Wave

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The recent Rio de Janeiro segment of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, concluding on Monday night, was overshadowed by tragic incidents including two fan deaths, numerous muggings, and severe heatwave conditions, causing dismay and frustration among her Brazilian fans.

25-year-old Gabriel Mongenot Santana Milhomem Santos, a dedicated fan who journeyed from Brazil’s center-west to attend the concert, was fatally stabbed early Monday morning on Copacabana beach, according to a statement from Rio police.

This incident followed the earlier death of another fan, 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado. She became ill during Swift’s opening show in the city on Friday and later passed away in a hospital.

Additionally, numerous fans reported suffering from the extreme heat, with instances of fainting, being victims of theft, or getting entangled in police operations.

According to Rio’s Municipal Health Department, Benevides, who fainted during Swift’s performance of “Cruel Summer,” suffered cardiorespiratory arrest. The precise cause of her death remains undetermined. The Forensic Medical Institute of Rio, after examining her body, announced that further laboratory tests were necessary, as reported by G1.

Swift, in an Instagram statement, expressed deep sorrow over Benevides’ passing, describing her heart as “shattered.”

The conditions outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium on Friday were harsh, with temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) and a heat index nearing 59 C (138 F). Concertgoers inside the stadium also complained about the intense heat and difficulties in accessing water.

Kléssia Menezes, a fan, recounted to R7 TV her harrowing experience of getting trapped with many others on a ramp leading to a VIP area on Saturday. The blockage by security eventually gave way, leading to a rush where she fell and sustained burns on her leg and back.

Many fans fell and got injured in the ensuing chaos, as per her account. As a result of these conditions, the night’s concert was postponed after fans had already endured long waits in the heat. Swift announced the postponement on Instagram, citing the extreme temperatures in Rio as the reason.

Julia Alvarenga, another fan, expressed frustration in a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) about the delay in cancellation. Showing the extent of her preparation for the long wait, she pointed out she was wearing a diaper, urgently appealing for Swift to take the stage.

The postponement led to turmoil outside the stadium, located near one of Rio’s working-class neighborhoods or favelas. Social media videos captured pickpockets targeting fans, a scene not uncommon to locals but shocking to many visitors. Amidst a light rain, fans sought shelter in a nearby Burger King, with some hiding under tables and in the kitchen as armed police raided the premises.

Due to the rescheduling of Saturday’s concert to Monday, many fans, including those who traveled from different parts of Brazil and abroad, were unable to attend. Hely Olivares, a 41-year-old Venezuelan from Panama, lamented the wasted journey of many fans, unable to make the rescheduled event.

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