Five Million Carnival Goers Descend on Rio as Brazil Seeks Comeback

  • Rio’s mayor is optimistic about Brazil’s economy under Lula
  • A top priority is making Rio’s downtown more residential

Revelers at a bloco street party during Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.

Photographer: Maria Magdalena Arrellaga/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Rio de Janeiro will welcome an estimated five million revelers at its Carnival celebrations this weekend, signaling a comeback for Brazil after two years of Covid-19 put celebrations on hold.

The biggest event in the country’s annual cultural calendar, Rio’s festivities were canceled altogether in 2021 and only held on a limited form last year as the virus was still being brought under control.