The mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, reiterated today (16) that the street blocks are not allowed to parade during CarnAbril, the off-season carnival between the 20th and 24th of this month, but stressed that he will not put the Municipal Guard to repress the revelers.
“I’m not going to run after revelers. What we ask for is people’s understanding. All that was needed now was to put the Municipal Guard behind the reveler. This will not happen. We have allowed the city to celebrate, to live life. The city is full, the streets are full, bars and restaurants are crowded. The city is open, it’s celebrating. I won’t be left behind by revelers even by a decree”, said Paes, when visiting the samba school sheds of Grupo Especial, in Cidade do Samba, in Gamboa, in the central region.
Cidade do Samba, where the samba schools’ barracks are located and the carnival parades are set up. – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
Although the traditional blocks, which normally draw tens of thousands of revelers, have already told the city hall that they will not parade this year, the smaller blocks, organized by friends or residents of the neighborhoods, will possibly take to the streets, as happened in Carnival holiday, between February 26th and March 1st.
Paes pointed out that the logistics for organizing the street blocks is very complex and intensively mobilizes public bodies.
“The blocks are all over the city. So it’s Municipal Guard, it’s traffic, it’s finally thinking about the inconvenience it causes for people, to minimize the impact on the city streets. It’s a very complex celebration to organize properly. We prefer not to take any risks. I love carnival, I love blocks. There is no attempt to frustrate anyone here, but it is for us to maintain the good standard”, he said.
The mayor said that on Wednesday (20) he will deliver the key to the city to King Momo. Last year, due to the cancellation of carnival due to the covid-19 pandemic, the ceremony in which the mayor symbolically hands over the command of the city to the Carnival Court did not take place.
Mayor Eduardo Paes visits União da Ilha shed in Cidade do Samba – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
Marquis of Sapucai
The official parades at Marquês de Sapucaí begin on Wednesday (20) and Thursday (21), with the Gold Series, former Access Group, and continue on Friday (22) and Saturday (23), with schools the Special Group, closing on Sunday (24), with the children’s parade.
Paes with Mangueira dancers – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
“It will be a beautiful party. Carnival suffered a lot. Very good that we can see the Carioca carnival this time coming back strong from Wednesday”, said Paes. “The Sambadrome is safe and beautiful. All the works to adapt the firefighters’ requirements were carried out with investments of almost R$ 12 million”.
In addition to Marquês da Sapucaí, there will be parades on Avenida Intendente Magalhães that start on Wednesday (20), with the Federation of Blocks, continue on Thursday (21), with the Evaluation Group, and with the Bronze Series on Friday. thursday (22). The following week, it will be the turn of the Silver Series, on Friday (29) and Saturday (30). On Sunday, May 1st, it will be the turn of Groups B and C. The Intendente Magalhães parades are free.
