Workers in Rio de Janeiro resumed on Monday the construction of the stage for Shakira’s free concert next weekend at Copacabana Beach, AP reported, after the work was halted the day before amid a police investigation into the death of a construction worker. The Colombian singer, who had not commented on the death, is still scheduled to perform Saturday evening at the famed beachfront.
Police said Gabriel de Jesus Firmino, 28, died on Sunday after being crushed by two stage elevators when the equipment was activated by another worker. Investigators told journalists that the Brazilian company that operates the stage is under investigation for alleged non-compliance with workplace safety regulations.
While authorities looked into what happened, the construction schedule moved forward, with workers returning to the site on Monday as the concert date approached. Organizers said they offered support and solidarity with the stage construction company and with the “staff and the family of the victim” in the accident.
On Monday morning, some beachgoers said they were sorry for Firmino’s death but still believed the concert should go on as planned. Anita Costa, a 41-year-old singer, said, “It is a sad thing that this happened,” and added that “the concert should go on.”
AP also noted that Shakira has been on her first global tour since 2018, a run described in the report as “last year, where she has made history.” The wire further contrasted the event with Lady Gaga’s previous Copacabana concert, which AP said drew about 2 million fans and was the biggest show of Gaga’s career.