Rio’s Public Prosecutor’s Office of January (MPRJ) filed a request in court for incidental urgency relief against the City Hall of the capital, the Liga Independente das Escolas de Samba do Rio of January (Liesa) and the Independent League of Group A (LIGA-RJ). The action requires that emergency measures be adopted in the area for dispersing the floats before the parades of Saturday (18), which take place at the Marques de Sapucaí Sambadrome. For the MPRJ, there is a high risk of accidents.
The prosecution requests that the Light company, through the City Hall, arrange for the removal of a pole located on Rua Frei Caneca, which is in an improper position at the exit of the Sambódromo. The MPRJ takes into account a report by the Specialized Technical Support Group (GATE/MPRJ), which analyzed the conditions at the site and indicated a risk of collision with an obstacle on the road. The body also points out that it is necessary to ensure the correct lighting of the place, with a daily fine of R$ 100,000 in case of non-compliance. Another requirement is that there be supervision to prevent the operation of commercial establishments in the dispersion sector, with a foreseen fine of R$ 20,000 for each violator.
Regarding Liesa and LIGA-RJ, the MPRJ asks that they hire enough employees to isolate the floats in the dispersal area and prevent children and adolescents from climbing on them. The prosecution understands that the number of security guards is still insufficient.
The new request from the Public Prosecutor’s Office is part of the process that has been pending at the Judgment of the 1st Childhood and Youth Court of the Capital since September 2022, with demands to increase security in the parades. A new recommendation was made in January of that year.
Accident
Last year, Raquel Antunes da Silva, aged 11, was crushed between a float and a pole, while the vehicle was maneuvering at the exit of Praça da Apoteose. First she had a leg amputated, but died two days after the accident.
The girl’s death led the MPRJ to make a request for the adoption of escorts in all the allegories leaving the Sambódromo, which was accepted by the judgment of the 1st Child, Youth and Elderly Court of Rio. The Justice then determined the obligation for all schools of the Ouro Series, the Special Group and the junior samba schools to prevent the undue approach of a child or teenager to the allegories when leaving the Apotheosis area of Passarela do Samba.
Still in the decision, the 1st Court ordered the Military Police to place vehicles and the Municipal Guard to patrol on foot, on Rua Frei Caneca and in other streets around the Sambódromo, where the floats are moved after the parades.
The report of Brazil Agency got in touch with Rio City Hall, Liesa and LIGA-RJ, but did not get any answers until the close of the article.
