7 billion neighbors

How is Brazil?

After two years of pandemic, 6 months from the elections, and in the middle of Carnival

Audio 48:29

Traditional carnival Feira das Yabas in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 17, 2022. AP - Bruna Prado

By: Emmanuelle Bastide

2 mins

Traditionally scheduled for February, the Rio carnival had to be postponed from April 20 to 30, 2022, a new consequence of the pandemic.

A major popular event, known worldwide, the last edition of the carnival in 2020 attracted nearly 7 million people.

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After 2 years of health crisis, the enthusiasm for recovery is being put to the test in a hard-hit and deeply bereaved country with nearly 660,000 Covid-related deaths, figures that are also underestimated.

As such, the record of President Jair Bolsonaro is particularly criticized.

Although the economy is gradually recovering, inflation, at more than 10%, is at its highest for 6 years and threatens the purchasing power of the poorest Brazilians.

With an unemployment rate of more than 13% in 2021, ever greater inequalities, a high crime rate, the future seems increasingly difficult to build in this country of more than 210 million inhabitants.

The presidential election of October 2022 and the return of ex-president Lula to the race announces an electoral campaign at loggerheads.

What is the state of Brazilian society?

Can she get out of the crisis?  

With :

- Adriana Moysés

, journalist at the Brazilian service of RFI. 

- Anaïs Flechet

, historian at the

and co-author of 

- Daniel Veloso Hirata

, sociologist, specialist in illegal markets, armed territorial control and police violence in Rio de Janeiro, professor at the

and coordinator of 

A report by

, correspondent for RFI in Rio.

After two years of absence in connection with the pandemic, the carnival got off to a good start this Wednesday, April 20, 2022. A festive event that was missed by parade enthusiasts but especially by those who make the carnival: dancers, charioteers, seamstresses… most of them come from the poorest neighborhoods of the city and have suffered economically from the absence of the carnival.

On the eve of the start of the parade, our reporter went to the city of Samba and the last rehearsal of the samba school “Unidos da Vila Isabel”. 

Reporting by Sarah Cozzolino for the preparation of the Rio carnival

Musical programming:

► 

- Livia Cruz 

► 

- Anavitória

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