BlocksInform
Andrew Rosati
Peter Millard
Rio de Janeiro will welcome an estimated five million revelers at its Carnival celebrations this weekend, signaling a comeback for Brazil after two years of Covid-19 put celebrations on hold.
The largest event on the annual cultural calendar of the country, The Rio celebrations were completely cancelled in 2021 and only took place in a limited form last year, when the virus was still under control.
This year's festivities will be an opportunity to stimulate the economy of Brazil's main tourism destination and contribute to the reconstruction of the country's international brand, who continues to struggle post-pandemic, the mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes.
"There were two years.", I thought I was never going to be able to deliver the carnival again," he said in an interview in his town hall office on Friday, while artists on stilts walked around the reception area and a marching band was ready to start the samba with a marching band.
Photographer: Daddy Galdieri/Bloomberg.
A few minutes before, Paes handed over the keys of the city to King Momo in a tradition that marks the official start of the carnival, which is held from Friday to February. That's what I'm talking about.
"We must celebrate what has happened in Brazil over the past year, the recent elections. The country's force to move forward," paes, 53, declared.
From the time he took office on 1 January. 1, Lula has declared “Brazil is back,” with the country seeking to retake its spot on the world stage. Paes says the era of noisy street parties and dazzling parades of samba schools will not only boost rio's economy.
Also build the international brand for Brazil.
Paes takes the floor during an interview on the sidelines of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival celebrations. Photographer: dado galdieri/bloombergpaes is experienced in booms and busts.
Its first two mandates as mayor (2009-2016) were spread over the years of departure, when the country was still riding a commodity bonanza and billions of dollars in investment poured into his city ahead of the 2014 world cup and the olympics two years after.
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But media hype and high housing prices had collapsed at the end of the 2106 games, a president was removed from office, and an inquiry into corruption has trapped political and commercial leaders. The fallout has accentuated many of Rio’s longstanding problems: homelessness and crime are rife, and services are shaky in large sections of the city.
A spectator brandishes a flag in support of President Lula while the party-goers take part in a bloco street party. Photographer: marmagdalena arrellaga/bloombergin her third mandate, paes seeks to revitalize the downtown core by providing credits and incentives to developers to redevelop properties or construct condos in the area.
A large portion of the downtown core is unoccupied – one estimate is that 36% of business positions are vacant.
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The festivities are right around the corner, Paes is hopeful that the Brazilian tourism capital can be improved under the new government, and help the rest of Canada grow back.
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