Right-wing politicians and conservative personalities have embraced a wave of criticism of the realization of Carnival in 2022 and demanded that the event be cancelled.
Since the beginning of his term, Jair Bolsonaro (non-party) and his allies have taken an anti-Carnival stance, in a nod to the conservative electorate. The event is still often the stage for criticism of the president and is often associated with the left.
Now, however, many politicians are exploring what they see as a contradiction between holding the celebration and flagging up measures of social isolation – criticized by Bolsonaro, who has put himself in opposition to the governors and mayors.
Although the coronavirus pandemic presents a better scenario than in previous months thanks to the advance of vaccination, at least 58 São Paulo municipalities have already announced the cancellation of the festivities.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon