The carnival in Rio means a week of colorful parades and dancing that the country's many samba schools have trained hard for. But this week is not just a stage for dance numbers but also to express political protests. Mangueira is one of several Samba schools that have used the festival as a platform to express their dissatisfaction with President Bolsonaro's first year in office.

The school's main number tells of Jesus with a "black face, domestic blood and with a woman's body" and warns that "no Messiah has a gun in his hand". The Samba School refers to Bolsonaro's support for religion and liberal arms laws and that his other name is the Messiah. It can be interpreted as a protest against Bolsonaro's derogatory statements about women, blacks, LGBTQs and the indigenous population.

Thousands of tourists are expected to visit the festival, which increases the risk of spreading the corona virus. The Rio de Janerio Health Authority has taken measures, including training in health care in the city. No one has yet been confirmed to be infected in South America.

Dating back to the 18th century

The carnival in Rio has its roots back to the 18th century when the Portuguese brought tradition to the country. The feast was a way to celebrate before fasting began. One of the rules Catholics must follow during fasting is to avoid meat. The word carnival comes from the medieval Latin and originally means "remove meat".

Today's festival is in many ways similar to the original. It is a time of festivities when people disregard social conventions. The festival is often called "folia", which can be translated into "messy" or "folly". Folia is originally a wild Portuguese folk dance.

Today, there are carnivals in most Brazilian cities. Officially, they extend over six days, from Friday to Ash Wednesday.

See pictures from the carnival in the clip above.