A Rio de Janeiro Carnival parade honoring Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva finished last amid controversy and legal threats, resulting in the samba school’s relegation to the second division.
Academicos de Niteroi aimed to make a statement by dedicating their performance to Lula, but the choice sparked immediate backlash even before the parade took place on the night of Sunday, February 15, 2026. Opponents decried the display as disguised campaigning for the 80-year-old president, who returned to power in 2023 and is seeking a fourth term in October’s election.
The performance as well failed to impress the judges, who evaluate based on technical and aesthetic criteria. On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the school received the lowest score, leading to their demotion from Rio’s top 12 samba schools – a competition structured like a football league. This outcome underscores the intersection of politics and popular culture in Brazil’s vibrant Carnival celebrations.
Lula attended the parade at the Sambadrome, the majestic venue for Carnival, marking the first time a sitting president has been honored in this way.
Bolsonaro depicted as a clown in prison
Last week, the Superior Electoral Court rejected requests from two opposition parties to cancel the parade. However, the magistrates warned they could review potential violations afterward.
Beyond tracing Lula’s life story, the parade also mocked his main rival: former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, currently serving a prison sentence for attempted coup d’état, was portrayed as a clown in prison.
Another segment particularly angered conservatives: a depiction of the traditional family crammed into a can, like sardines.
Many individuals and groups, denouncing an attack on Christian values, reacted on social media, posting AI-generated images of their own families in cans.
“Academicos de Niteroi relegated! Those who attack the family do not deserve applause,” Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator and his father’s political heir, reacted on Instagram following the announcement of the results on Wednesday. https://www.instagram.com/p/DU6hGPAlKwd/
He announced he would “quickly” file an appeal with the electoral court. Bolsonarista deputy Nikolas Ferreira said he had contacted the Rio public prosecutor’s office, stating in a statement that the parade “exceeded the limits of political criticism and entered the dangerous ground of religious prejudice.”
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
