U.S. Navy’s USS Carl Vinson in Rio By...

U.S. Navy’s USS Carl Vinson in Rio

By Jaylan Boyle, Senior Contributing Reporter - March 9,2010

RIO DE JANEIRO - Late last month, fresh from playing a key role in Operation Unified Response, the international humanitarian aid mission to assist Haiti after the disastrous earthquake, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Cari Vinson made a stopover in Rio de Janeiro. The purpose of the trip was to strengthen bilateral military relations, and a number of U.S, sailors also took part in a series of volunteer exercises in the city.

“We appreciate the strong relationship that has developed between the military forces of our two countries. It is an interaction based on mutual respect, and our intention is to further strengthen our partnerships and joint missions,” said Thomas Shannon, the U.S. Ambassador of Brazil.

On February 27th, sailors from the carrier were involved in volunteer work that involved painting facilities at two Recreio public schools, Escola Municipal Vice-Almirante Alvaro Alberto and Escola Municipal Vice-Almirante Paulo Moreira. They were joined by about 20 of their fellow Brazilian sailors, and had the opportunity to get to know their colleagues and share experiences of life in the navy. After work was completed, the two schools were presented with photo collages commemorating the visit.

Another project that U.S. sailors participated in took place at the People’s Centra! Institute, a local community center in the Gamboa neighborhood which was founded by an American missionary over a century ago. The center helps local working parents by offering a daycare service, and provides a venue for the hosting of various cultural and sporting activities.

In addition to helping with painting and other maintenance tasks, the sailors, perhaps wearied after their labors, were well defeated by a team of local children in a friendly game of soccer. All of the children were given a USS Carl Vinson baseball cap and packed lunches.

The goodwill mission also involved further sporting fixtures between the sailors of both nations, although results have not been reported. A reception for around 400 guests was also held aboard the carrier.

International media was mainly focusing on the positive aspects of the visit: the only aberration on that theme was a French Agency reportedly questioning the motive of the mission, seeing it as an attempt to sway Brazil’s government into buying American military hardware.

(Abridged from http: / / riotimesonline. com)

According to the text, it is correct to state that