The new scheduled date is April 21, which marks the start of a long holiday weekend.

"The town halls of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have decided to postpone the parades of the samba schools" at the end of April, "due to the current situation of the pandemic in Brazil and the need to preserve lives", announced in a statement from the authorities of the two largest Brazilian cities.

The decision to postpone the sambadrome parades in Rio, which attract tourists from around the world, as well as those in Sao Paulo, was announced after a virtual meeting between mayors, their health secretaries and representatives of samba schools in the two states.

Brazil, the second most affected country in the world by the pandemic with more than 622,000 deaths, broke its daily record for infections this week with 204,854 new cases recorded in one day.

“It is a necessary postponement, we will have much more security to carry out (the carnival) at the end of April,” said Rio de Janeiro Health Secretary Daniel Soranz.

“Following the curve of the pandemic in other countries, we think it is very difficult for the current wave to continue until April,” he added.

"We respect science and we are going to take balanced and adequate measures to, at the same time, respect a party that is the greatest cultural and popular manifestation in Brazil and that has an important impact on the economy of Rio de Janeiro", declared the mayor of this city Edouardo Paes, fervent admirer of the carnival.

Leagues representing samba schools in Rio and Sao Paulo said they supported the authorities' decision.

"Greatest Show on Earth"

"It's the right attitude, it has the full support of the samba schools and we hope that on April 21 we can have a party full of joy as the carnival requires," said Sideni Carriuolo, president of the league. samba schools in Sao Paulo, who attended the discussions with the authorities.

"The Carnival of Rio is + the greatest show on Earth +, synonymous with joy, and which enchants everyone", affirmed a press release from the League of Rio Samba Schools, adding however that the "life and health of the audience and participants" was equally important.

Street party in Rio on February 15, 2020 during the "Ceu Na Terra bloco", ahead of the carnival CARL DE SOUZA AFP / Archives

Samba schools, neighborhood organizations with up to 4,000 members each, spend months preparing their parades of elaborate carriages, thousands of handcrafted costumes, and dancers and musicians rehearsing for months to shine. before the jurors of the Sambadrome.

Those who had already purchased tickets for the February parades will be able to use them in April and a telephone line will be available to answer questions from ticket holders.

The street carnival in both cities had already been canceled earlier this month due to the health situation.

Brazil has vaccinated nearly 70% of its 213 million people with two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

© 2022 AFP