RIO DE JANEIRO, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed on Monday the torch that will open the Pan American Games, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro for the July 13-29 period.

    Accompanied by swimmer Gustavo Borges, two-time silver medallist in the Olympics, and beach volleyball player Sandra Pires, holder of an Olympic gold medal, the president lit the Pan American flame.

    In his speech, Lula said that countries in South America and in Latin America can no longer be regarded as "third world countries" that are not capable of organizing events like the Pan Am Games.

    He added that the Games would not only leave facilities and equipments to Rio, but also an "immaterial" legacy. The city's population will rely on new "perspectives", and the world will see that Brazil is able to host other big international events, such as the Olympics and FIFA World Cup, said Lula.

    Rio is currently applying to host the 2016 Olympic Games, and Brazil is a strong candidate to host the 2014 World Cup. FIFA has announced that it intends to hold the competition in South America, and the country is the sole official representative of the continent.

    Lula also said that, during Rio's Games, violence would be prevented by the implementation of "the most modern" security system the country has ever had.

    Responding to charges that the Games had an elevated cost to the government, he made a comparison with the renovation of the Wembley Stadium, in London, which cost about one billion U.S. dollars. According to Lula, 1.8 billion reais (918 million U.S. dollars) were invested in equipments for the Pan Am Games.

    The president stressed that the facilities must be tested before the beginning of the event, but some of them are not ready yet. Minister of Sports, Orlando Silva, present at the ceremony, assured that all facilities will be accomplished in time.

    Brasilia, the federal capital, was the 11th town visited by the torch. When the flame arrives in Rio, by July 13, it will also have passed by the country's 26 state capitals and two indigenous villages, among other spots.