The coronavirus pandemic has brought the Rio Carnival to a halt, which has been celebrated for more than a century and continued even during the Spanish flu pandemic and both World Wars. Despite labor strikes, political repression and a dengue outbreak, the carnival managed to take place. However, the pandemic has led to the indefinite suspension of the parade for the first time since 1932, when Rio’s samba parade became official. The cancellation of the carnival parade is a significant loss of revenue and denies citizens the much-needed catharsis. Rio de Janeiro has been hit hard by the pandemic, and the virus has killed more than 18,000 people in the state of 16 million people.
Many dancers, choreographers, costume makers, and set designers have been affected by the cancellation of the parade. They come together for months to build elaborate floats mounted on trucks, try on costumes, and rehearse choreography. The coronavirus pandemic has also affected the livelihood of the families involved in creating the costumes and floats.
They have been making masks instead of dresses and outfits, earning only 30% of what they usually make in a regular year. The pandemic has prevented the samba performances, which in recent years have called out corruption, police brutality, structural inequality, and racism using satire and allegory. The cancellation has robbed politicians of accountability, and the carnival will not synthesize the themes of the year for the people. The people of Rio are being given food baskets to cope with the deep economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
