Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Sambadrome was the scene of a lavish Carnival parade on Sunday, ostensibly celebrating Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
However, the glitzy tribute, which comes as Lula seeks a fourth non-consecutive term, has ignited a fierce political row, with adversaries alleging it constitutes an illegal early campaign launch and vowing legal action.
The parade, staged by the renowned Academicos de Niteroi samba school, charted Lula’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Brazil’s impoverished northeast to his current stature as one of Latin America’s most influential leaders.
Floats, costumes, and songs were replete with praise for the president, whose approval ratings have remained closely divided for months. Lula, accompanied by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and their wives, attended the spectacle, despite warnings from legal analysts about potential lawsuits in Brazil’s electoral court.
Tiago Martins, the parade’s chief organiser, stated that Academicos do Niteroi initially intended to focus on the country’s northeast for their 2025 theme, later deciding Lula’s personal story perfectly suited this purpose, despite the inherent legal risks.
“Lula deserves a tribute like this, just like any other Brazilian who does a lot for our people,” Martins told The Associated Press, denying any intention for the lyrics, floats, or costumes to serve as campaign material. He confirmed that school executives had presented their vision to Lula in Brasilia months prior, which the president accepted.
From the Rio de Janeiro city hall box, alongside Mayor Eduardo Paes, Lula, first lady Rosângela da Silva, and their guests watched as revelers sang his historic campaign jingle. A feared backlash from the stands did not materialise, even when he ventured onto the Sambadrome floor for photographs. Yet, João Santana, who managed Lula’s 2006 re-election campaign, expressed doubts about any electoral gains, suggesting the tribute could alienate moderate and evangelical voters who disapprove of the intersection of Carnival and politics. Santana also highlighted the “unnecessary legal risks,” stating, “The president and the first lady have dangerously approached this parade. This could all backfire.”
The controversy carries significant legal weight. Political analyst Thomas Traumann noted that while Lula is already popular in the samba world and unlikely to gain votes from the tribute, the primary legal concern revolves around whether the administration allowed a link between the celebration and the election, particularly if public resources were misused for travel or accommodation. “There could be fines, the loss of free airtime during the campaign. That matters in a close election,” Traumann warned. While Carnival parades have honoured Lula before – notably in 2003 and 2012 – this marks the first such tribute in a presidential election year, under the close scrutiny of the electoral court.
Aware of potential penalties, Academicos de Niteroi had instructed its 3,000-plus revelers to avoid making “L” hand gestures or encouraging votes for Lula. Nevertheless, right-leaning politicians sought to block the parade, arguing it granted Lula an unfair early campaigning advantage, especially given that samba schools receive public funding. Lawmaker Kim Kataguiri posted on social media: “Samba schools are not meant to campaign for anyone. I filed a complaint to stop your money from being used to finance electoral campaigns disguised as tributes.” Brazil’s top electoral court, however, rejected these complaints, ruling they could not censor a samba school pre-emptively, though they reserved the right to review the case if electoral law violations occurred during the performance.
The political stakes remain high for Lula, whose closest rival in the upcoming election is Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of Jair Bolsonaro. Recent polls indicate Lula as the front-runner, but suggest a tight contest. Further scrutiny awaits, as the leadership of the electoral court will soon pass to Supreme Court Justice Kássio Nunes, an appointee of Lula’s political adversary, Jair Bolsonaro, and a known critic of Carnival. Justice Nunes will oversee the presidential election in October, ensuring the legal implications of Sunday’s parade will continue to resonate.
