The opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, held on Wednesday evening, September 7, was marked by a protest against President Michel Temer.

A few minutes before the beginning of the event, part of the audience chanted "Out, Temer."

Some of the people had protest posters, which were shown inside and outside the stadium. The protest occurred before the president of Brazil arrived at the directors' box, from where he watched the ceremony next to his wife, Marcela.

	Tasso Marcelo/AFP
	View of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro

Later, when he was announced by Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, President Michel Temer was booed by part of the audience.

"I declare the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games open," said Temer. The sentence, however, was not heard by television viewers as it was cut in the transmission. The president's image was not shown in the stadium's screen, either.

When the traditional countdown to the beginning of the celebration reached zero, American disabled wheelchair athlete Aaron Wheelz raced down the grandstands of Maracanã stadium on a 17-meter ramp.

	Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
	Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, speaks during the opening ceremony

He passed through the number zero, did a somersault and landed on an inflatable mattress. Wheelz was born with Spina Bifida, a congenital malformation of the spine.

It was follwed by a homage to the group of wheelchair users led by musicians Maria Rita, Xande de Pilares, Teresa Cristina, Pretinho da Serrinha, Monarco, Hamilton de Holanda, Diogo Nogueira and Gabrielzinho do Irajá, a blind samba artist.

The national anthem was played on the piano by conductor João Carlos Martins. He is a symbol of overcoming as his career as a pianist was interrupted by a series of physical problems.

	Sergio Moraes/Reuters
	Athletes from Brazil take part in the opening ceremony

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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