Samba schools rehearse in the streets of Rio de Janeiro

Carnival celebrations are returning to Rio de Janeiro. 

Samba schools have been rehearsing in the streets ahead of the main event scheduled for February 19th and 20th.

Each year samba schools choose a theme for their parade. Themes vary from tributes to artists, countries and cultures to social issues.

“I think Salgueiro’s show (this year, Ed.) talks about all these things, people who judge others and say what they are doing is wrong without even looking at themselves first. It’s a thought for everybody”, said 37year old Patrick Carvalho, choreographer at Salgueiro Samba School.

Salgueiro Samba School will bring a message of freedom and love to tens of thousands of spectators reflecting the bitter political divide that continues to roil the country after the elections last December.

“Our message is about what we live daily, unfortunately. About prejudice. About people who want to be owners of the truth and only see fault in others. Salgueiro (samba school, Ed.) wants to stop all that on the day of the parade, sending this message to the whole world, not only Brazil, the whole world, so we live in a better place”, promised André Vaz, President of Salgueiro Samba School.

Sixty-seven year old seamstress Maria de Aquino left a message of hope.

“Freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to live, equality. A world with more love. That’s what we will ask for in the parade”, she said.

This is the first time since the start of the pandemic that Brazil celebrates Carnival in February.