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Rio Carnival takes a stand - 4th March 2020
Rio de Janiero has been buzzing with excitement since the start of Carnival.
This year, mixed with the glamour and the glitter, was a strong political commentary.
Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, is head of its far-right government. Since it gained power a year ago, it has deeply divided Brazil. It has attacked every cause that Carnival values - diversity, LGBT rights, and the arts.
Carnival’s fantastic floats and costumes also addressed environmental issues. Bolsonaro’s government has allowed deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon to increase by 85.3 percent in one year.
Rio’s mayor, Marcelo Crivella, has criticised Carnival since his election in 2016. This year, samba schools received no funding from the city. This did not stop them spending twelve months practising and building amazing floats. They were ready to compete for the prize of Carnival Champions. This year the champions were the Viradouro Samba School.
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