Rio Carnival parades kick off with divisive ode to Lula in election yr

[ad_1] A colossal metallic robotic depicting Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva towered over Rio de Janeiro's famed Sambadrome avenue on Sunday evening, in a Carnival parade that has drawn hearth for its tribute to a sitting president in an election yr.

Samba college Academicos de Niteroi kicked off three days of dazzling parades with the homage to Lula, tracing his life as a boy rising up in poverty within the arid northeast, to a metalworker, union chief after which president.

The opposition has slammed the parade as veiled early campaigning forward of October polls by which the 80-year-old Lula is searching for a fourth time period.

Lula and his spouse Rosangela "Janja" da Silva watched the parade from one of many many VIP packing containers lining the avenue.

There have been hanging employees, dancers draped in large lightbulbs to signify entry to electrical energy and people depicting the poor getting advantages in what was additionally an ode to a raft of leftist issues.

The gang seated alongside the 700-meter avenue sang alongside to the theme tune chosen by Academicos de Niteroi, which included the catchy chorus typically utilized by the president's supporters: "Ole, ole, ole, ola; Lula, Lula!"

Luena Holliday, 51, an occasions organizer, stated she was a fan of the veteran leftist, however she was torn in regards to the selection of theme.

Brazilians had been divided over whether or not it was applicable to honor Brazil's Lula at Carnival © Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP "I discover it complicated. I help Lula... however we're in a really divided second within the nation, and I do not understand how applicable it's to affiliate Carnival with Lula," she instructed AFP.

Bolsonaro as a clown The parades of the town's high 12 samba faculties -- a ferocious competitors that includes huge, animated floats, thundering drum sections and scantily-clad samba queens -- are the showpiece of Rio's Carnival.

Behind the pomp and glitter, every college chooses an annual theme, typically linked to Afro-Brazilian heritage, social or political commentary, mythology and environmental points © Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP Behind the pomp and glitter, every college chooses an annual theme, typically linked to Afro-Brazilian heritage, social or political commentary, mythology or environmental points.

The parade -- the primary to honor a serving president -- made no point out of the election, however didn't shrink back from politics.

The theme tune declares "no amnesty" -- the leftist chant towards efforts to free former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro from a 27-year jail time period he's serving for plotting a failed coup.

And one of many floats depicted an enormous Bozo the Clown in jail stripes behind bars, with a large ankle bracelet, a transparent reference to Bolsonaro, who has typically been nicknamed "Bozo" by his critics.

Bolsonaro was moved from home arrest to jail earlier than the official begin of his sentence after attempting to take away his ankle monitoring bracelet with a soldering iron.

"Bozo in Jail? That is the place he's presupposed to be," a glitter-covered Nelia Macedo, 44, instructed AFP, praising a parade which "exceeded all expectations."

Marcia Alves, 59, a retired businesswoman, who admits she will not be a supporter of Lula, stated "you should not combine Carnival with politics. It is for everybody to have enjoyable, everybody has their very own opinion."

Warnings from electoral court docket Bolsonaro has anointed his eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, as his political inheritor and presidential candidate.

Shortly earlier than the beginning of the parade, Flavio revealed an AI-generated video of a parade mocking Lula "the thief," exhibiting him behind bars in reference to his 2018 jailing on a corruption cost that was later annulled.

Brazil's electoral court docket, the TSE, on Thursday unanimously rejected requests filed by two opposition events to cease Academicos from parading Sunday.

The court docket stated it couldn't block a parade earlier than it occurred, however warned it may nonetheless examine after the present.

The parades of the town's high 12 samba faculties -- a ferocious competitors that includes huge, animated floats, thundering drum sections and scantily-clad samba queens -- are the showpiece of Rio's carnival © Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP On Friday, the presidency warned officers attending carnival occasions to not make "statements that could possibly be characterised as early electoral propaganda."