Years go by, governments change and, every February, it’s the same story: Pacotão – the most politicized carnival block in Brasília – presents, with great humor, its criticisms of everything and nothing.
This year, in the midst of greater optimism with the country’s politics, after the election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the critical tone was a little different from previous editions, which had, in less popular governments or even in the military dictatorship, an environment fertile for the creativity of revelers.
The fame of a politicized block goes beyond the borders of the Federal District, even reaching one of the most distant points in the country: Amapá – land of baker and photographer André Ribeiro, 28. Living in Brasília for two years, Ribeiro witnessed, for the first time, the “much talked about irreverence of Pacotão”.
carnival is democracy
“Freedom of expression is the essence of both carnival and democracy. In them, everyone can manifest themselves. The package is for everyone and respects all audiences because it is democratic and in favor of debate. It is a free environment”, said the reveler.
According to Ribeiro, the 2023 carnival “carries a dammed-up joy after two years of the pandemic and four years of a government that strongly reprimanded this type of freedom”.
Brasília (DF), 02/21/2023 – Bruno Corrêa revelers jump on street carnival animated by Bloco Pacotāo in Brasília. Photo: Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil – Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil
“The difference is that, now, we are optimistic about the important moment, the return of hope and democracy for the country. Our happiness was dammed up. We really needed to feel that again. More than drinking and fraternization, this carnival represents a respite,” she added.
history villains
Among the funniest costumes was that of the unusual couple Dick Vigarista and Penélope Charmosa, characters from the cartoon A Corrida Maluca. Behind the villain of the story was public servant Bruno Correa, 52.
“Every year, the criteria I use to choose the costume is creativity. In the last Pacotão I came dressed as a Cid Gomes tractor”, said Correa referring to the case in which the senator climbed on a backhoe to confront police officers soldiers on strike in Ceará, in February 2020.
“I like Pacotão exactly for its irony and intelligent criticism of the villains of our policy. Pacotão is simply that: it is playful, philosophical and carnivalesque”, he added.
money and fun
Dressed as Spider-Man and carrying a sign reading “Mary Jane [namorada do personagem] is pregnant. Help!!!”, Pedro Amorim, 21, appealed to the revelers to buy, from him, a bottle of water for R$ 2.
An employee of a finance company, Amorim explained that, whenever he can, he takes advantage of Carnival to do the same thing he does throughout the year: work.
Brasília (DF), 02/21/2023 – The reveler dressed as a spider man, Pedro Henrique, jumps at street carnival animated by the Bloco Pacotāo in Brasília. Photo: Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil – Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil
“The difference is that, at carnivals, I take advantage of the opportunity to make money while having fun”, he justified.
The idea for the costume came up a few days ago, when the girlfriend said she was feeling sick. “I jokingly said that she could be pregnant. When reflecting on the financial difficulties that a pregnancy would entail, the idea of the fantasy came up.”
According to the press office of the Military Police of the Federal District, at the time the block started walking along the W3 route, there were at least 8,000 revelers, and no incident had been recorded.
