Brazil: Rio de Janeiro mayor believes restrictions will reduce crowds on New Year’s Eve

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, said today (28) that the government has imposed a “deep disincentive” to the crowding of people on Copacabana Beach during New Year’s Eve and that the measures will reduce the audience of the event, which usually brings together more than 2 million people.

The traditional fireworks display will occur, but there will be no concerts, extra buses, or subway stations, closed between 8 pm on December 31 and 7 am on January 1.

“We have greatly diminished the possibility for people to commute. “There is a deep discouragement on our part. It is not good to go to Copacabana unless you are there or within walking distance to Copacabana Beach. And with this, we imagine that there will be less crowding,” said the mayor at a press conference held Tuesday at the City Palace.

Parking will also be prohibited on Copacabana streets and access roads to the neighborhood starting at 6 pm on the 30th. Bus lines to Copacabana will have their itinerary changed from 8 pm on December 31 and will not enter the neighborhood.

From 7 pm on December 31, only cabs with passengers with proof of work, residence or lodging, or cars for personal use will be able to enter the neighborhood. At 10 pm, the blockade will become total, and only those on foot will enter Copacabana.

The mayor said that the city’s scientific committee allowed the event and that Rio has registered constant crowds on the beach on sunny and hot weekends. “There were more people able to go to the beach last Sunday than will be able to go to Copacabana Beach on New Year’s Eve.”

CARNAVAL

About Carnaval, Paes repeated that it is still necessary to monitor the epidemiological scenario but argued again that it is essential to differentiate parties in which it is possible to demand vaccination or covid-19 tests from open events such as street blocks.

“Carnival represents different types of celebration. In some, you can establish controls, and in others, not,” he said. “I will wait until after New Year’s Eve and have a meeting with the people from Sebastiana [Independent Association of Street Blocks]. We are talking. There is still a long period until Carnaval. We have to follow the numbers.

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