Rio Samba Schools Use Carnaval to Criticize Government

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A little over a year into Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, Brazil has become deeply polarized. Right-wing Bolsonaro and his team have attacked media, dismantled social programs and amplified conflicts between classes, races, and religions; and many samba schools and street block groups are choosing social and political issues as their theme for this year’s Carnaval.

“We are living in a very polarized society, with a complicated economic situation and samba is a popular tune. This tension that society experiences will be reflected in some way,” samba composer Luiz Carlos Máximo, who writes lyrics for one of Rio’s most traditional samba schools – Mangueira – told journalists earlier this year.

According to Máximo, much of the inspiration for these samba schools and street groups’ lyrics come from intolerance, social injustice and inequality faced by the population.

Kicking off the first day of the traditional parade on Sunday, Mangueira is bringing to the Sambadrome a Jesus Christ figure with a “black face, indigenous blood and a woman’s body” who represents the “vulnerable and oppressed people in Brazil; those who are often not covered by public policies,” explains Leandro Vieira, one of Mangueira’s top managers.

One part of the song participants will sing on Sunday can be interpreted as a direct criticism to Bolsonaro: “Favela, understand the picture / There is no future without sharing/ Not even with a Messiah with a gun in his hand”. Bolsonaro, whose middle name is Messiah, is a strong weapons supporter and has often been photographed making a gun gesture with his hands.

Another traditionally prominent samba school, Portela, will honor the indigenous population who lived in Rio before the Portuguese settlers arrived in the country. The school’s song describes the current debate over indigenous land demarcation and criticizes Bolsonaro for stating that these areas are ‘too big’ for just the indigenous populations. With the words ‘Indigenous ask for peace, but we are ready for war/Our village does not have a (political) party or faction/ There is no bishop, nor do we bow to a captain’, the song alludes to Bolsonaro’s position as an army captain and his close ties to evangelical leaders.

Acadêmicos do Grande Rio will bring to the festival the debate about religion intolerance, which has grown significantly during the past year. With the words “Hurray for Candomblé/ For the love of God and for the love of faith/ I respect your Amen, you respect my Axé”, the samba school hopes to highlight the recent attacks made on Afro-Brazilian religions.

A favorite samba school among Rio residents, São Clemente, will talk about fake news, corruption and money laundering. The song, dubbed ‘the swindler’s tale’, will mention the mega-corruption scandal Lava Jato (Carwash).

On Friday night, another school, Acadêmicos de Vigário Geral, also showed how the population was hurt by swindlers and corrupt politicians. The samba school which is in the 2nd Tier Samba Group, displayed a giant clown dressed as Bolsonaro. The clown wore a presidential sash, and was gesturing as if pointing a gun.

Samba school Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel will discuss social and racial inequality by paying tribute to the Afro-Brazilian singer, Elza Soares. The lyrics of the school’s song highlights how Soares, with her voice, ‘muzzles oppression’

And it is not only the traditional samba schools that are bringing to their Carnaval issues that are plaguing their lives. Many of Rio’s blocos (street party blocks) have substituted funny, light-hearted themes for ones which criticize government policies and efficiency. The Suvaco do Cristo (Christ’s Armpit), in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood, is criticizing this year the city’s recent water supply problem as well as the oil spill in the Northeastern part of the country and the tainted beer in the state of Minas Gerais, which has killed at least two people and sent dozens to the hospital.

The Circo Voador block Quizomba, which parades through the Lapa neighborhood, will also talk about the muddy, smelly water that has been forcing Rio residents to purchase bottled water. “If Cedae (Rio’s water company) treated our water, water would not kill. Those who drink water today are rich, for the population it is contaminated water” goes the song to be sung during the block’s parade.

The block “Meu Bem Ja Volto” (Honey, I’ll be Right Back) will defend science and research with the theme “Against this cowardice – health, science and joy: 120 years of Fiocruz [Fundação Oswaldo Cruz]”. The block will honor scientists whose studies and data have been questioned by the Bolsonaro government.