Brazil's government acknowledges the demotion of a samba school that honored President Lula, attributing it in part to a historical trend and expressing concerns over political influences in the scoring process.
Brazilian government officials, including members of the Workers' Party (PT), stated that the demotion of the Acadêmicos de Niterói samba school, which paid tribute to President Lula during the Carnaval parade, was anticipated due to the tradition of newly promoted schools struggling in their first year in the Special Group of the Rio Carnaval. They highlighted that historically about 70% of schools that enter this elite group face challenges and often return to the lower division due to structural limitations.
Despite acknowledging the challenging environment for new entrants, government allies expressed discomfort regarding the low score received by the Acadêmicos de Niterói, which earned only 264.6 points, placing it near the bottom of the ranking. They noted that even though the samba-enredo focusing on Lula's life won the maximum score of 10 from two judges, the overall placement of the school remained disappointing, prompting discussions about the potential influence of political factors on the scoring process.
The situation raises questions about the intersection of politics and cultural expression in Brazil, particularly when it comes to events as significant as Carnaval, which serve not only as entertainment but also as platforms for social and political commentary. The government’s response indicates a sensitivity to how political allegiance can affect public perception and performance in such artistic contests, particularly when linked to prominent political figures like Lula. This incident may influence future cultural celebrations and the participation of schools with political ties in the suerte of public evaluations.
