in social situations cariocas are generally more casual about being punctual while this characteristic generally does not transfer into business - visitors conducting business in rio de janeiro should maintain timely schedules since it reflects poorly on a visitor if they arrive late to a meeting.

if anticipated to be late for an upcoming meeting, it is important to call the counterpart and inform them of the delay, as much in advance as possible - traffic in rio de janeiro can be hectic and unpredictable - transit times should be planned accordingly.

 one should be aware of the possibility of cariocas arriving late for interviews and meetings and respond accordingly - making sure not to appear frustrated is an important response to maintain - while cariocas are more relaxed when it comes to being punctual for social events, business is still business, and meetings normally begin at the appointed hour.