Feb. 18 (UPI) – About five million people began descending on Rio de Janeiro on Saturday as Brazil’s carnival birthday party fully accelerated again after a two-year hiatus.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said the festivities would rebuild the country’s symbol after the pandemic.
“Two years ago, I thought I could never present Carnival again,” Paes told Bloomberg on Friday as stilt walkers roamed the reception area and a marching band was about to start blowing the samba trumpets.
More than 400 parades of musicians and dancers are organized to entertain participants in the streets of Rio.
“After two years of pandemic, this Carnival is historic. It is an honor that I claim that Carnival officially opened,” Mendes da Silva told revelers at Rio’s Palacio da Cidade, the mayor’s residence.
During carnival, Brazilians “also celebrate democracy,” the mayor added, referring to the failed uprising by Bolsonaro supporters last month.
Brazil expects only around 46 million people to attend the festival over the next five days, with revenues expected to total $1. 55 billion.