It turns out that if you are going to celebrate a sitting president at the world’s loudest party, you might want to check the judges’ political leanings first. At this year’s Rio Carnival, the samba school Acadêmicos de Niterói decided to ditch the usual themes of tropical birds or ancient myths. Instead, they went full political by parading a giant robotic version of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva through the Sambadrome.
The performance told the classic rags to riches story of Lula’s life, from his days as a shoeshine boy to his current third term in office. While his supporters cheered from the stands, the judges were seemingly less impressed by the choreography of social welfare. The school finished in dead last place. This means they have been booted out of the elite “Premier League” of samba and sent straight down to the second division for 2027.
Clowns, Cans, and Courtrooms
The parade did not just praise Lula. It also took a rather sharp swipe at his rival, the far right former leader Jair Bolsonaro. Performers depicted him as “Bozo the Clown” sitting behind bars. To add a bit more spice, another group of dancers dressed up as “preserved neoconservatives” stuck inside giant tin cans. This went down about as well as a lead balloon with Brazil‘s conservative crowd, who spent the week on social media claiming the school was mocking Christian family values.
The opposition tried everything to stop the parade before it even started. They filed multiple lawsuits, claiming the whole show was basically an illegal, early campaign ad for the October elections. The courts told them to relax and let the music play, but the scoreboard did the talking in the end. Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, was quick to gloat online. He suggested that the school’s relegation was a sign that Lula himself would be the next one to get the boot from voters.
The Real Winner Wears the Crown
While everyone was arguing about politicians in tin cans, a school called Viradouro actually focused on the samba. They took the 2026 crown with a perfect score for their tribute to a legendary drum director. It seems that honoring a musician is a much safer bet than honoring a man who controls the national budget.
The Acadêmicos de Niterói team insists they were “persecuted” for their art. They claim they faced pressure to change their lyrics and floats long before they hit the runway. Whether it was a technical failure or a political slap on the wrist, the result is the same. The “Presidential Parade” is officially a flop. Next year, they might want to consider a safer theme. Perhaps something uncontroversial, like kittens or the weather.
Related topic: South America
