is the most recognisable voice in Rio de Janeiro’s elite carnival league and has led 50 consecutive parades for the same school but I also think we need to live’This article is more than 2 months oldNeguinho da Beija-Flor in Rio de JaneiroSun 2 Mar 2025 11.00 CETLast modified on Mon 3 Mar 2025 17.18 CETShareOn Monday night as 100,000 people gather in the stands and VIP boxes of the Marquês de Sapucaí Sambadrome to watch the second night of parades at Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous carnival a voice that has resonated for half a century will be heard there for the last time It will be the final performance by Neguinho da Beija-Flor one of the country’s most famous samba singers who is retiring after leading 50 consecutive parades for the Beija-Flor – or Hummingbird – school At an event that brings together thousands of members from 12 samba schools he is the most recognisable voice in Rio’s elite carnival league with his constant smile and impeccably groomed afro – not a single grey strand in sight – just before heading into the studio for his final rehearsal a decision that surprised Rio’s samba world which follows the carnival parade with the same passion that other Brazilians have for football “Being a samba-school singer requires the stamina of a marathon runner,” he said Members of the samba school Beija-Flor de Nilópolis during a rehearsal in Nilópolis Photograph: Ian Cheibub/GuardianDuring the 70–80 minutes of a school’s parade it is the singer’s job to maintain the energy of the massive audience – which can be almost twice the size of the crowd at Maracanã soccer stadium – repeatedly chanting the year’s samba-enredo theme song in an endless loop “It’s a massive effort that has only become harder with age,” Neguinho said Born Luiz Antônio Feliciano in Nova Iguaçu a poverty-stricken city in the greater Rio area he started singing for a local samba bloco at age 22 when he was a member of the air force “Neguinho” is often used in Brazil in a derogatory manner to refer to a Black boy or man generically which is what he had in mind when he adopted the nickname “I’ve suffered a lot of racism in my life and career I wouldn’t have had time to dedicate myself to my music and family,” said Neguinho Members of Beija-Flor de Nilópolis in Nilópolis Photograph: Ian Cheibub/GuardianHis big break came in 1976 when he had to step in to replace a lead singer who died suddenly before carnival The school won the championship – its first – and he became Neguinho from Beija-Flor all under Neguinho’s raspy voice and his trademark battle cry: “Olha a Beija-Flor aí a key factor in the school’s success was the financial support of a local gambling boss Jogo do bicho – or animal lottery – is an illegal gambling game ubiquitous across Brazil and long been tied to various criminal activities gambling bosses saw samba schools as a means to clean their images and increase control over territories At least half of the elite samba schools are still linked to bicheiros but Neguinho does not see this as a problem: “If it weren’t for the jogo do bicho maybe today Rio’s carnival wouldn’t be the spectacle it is.” Neguinho has only ever sung for one school a consistency nearly unthinkable in today’s increasingly professionalised carnival where artists switch groups as quickly as football players change clubs Read moreNeguinho says that he has never received a salary from the school explaining that his livelihood comes from his work as a “mid-year” sambista as artists with work outside carnival are called Despite his calm attitude toward his retirement decision, the singer choked up with tears as he spoke about it three weeks ago during the final rehearsal at Sapucaí and she suggested that I bring a banner that says: ‘Thank you very much.’ She told me to just open the banner and say nothing a car will be waiting for me – and I’ll leave.” The 2025 Carnival season is under way across Europe and the Americas often a blend of local pagan and Catholic traditions usher out winter and welcome the coming spring Gathered below are images from the past week of Carnival celebrations around the world To receive an email notification every time new photo stories are published, sign up here We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com. A collection of winning and honored images from this year’s nature-photo competition A collection of amazing recent images made with the Hubble Space Telescope Mourners of Pope Francis gathered at the Vatican, scenes from the the second weekend of Coachella 2025, a humanoid-robot half-marathon in China, and much more Images of the people, animals, and landscapes of the Earth’s arctic and subarctic regions, photographed by Olivier Morin the model has jetted off to Brazil to take part in the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro for 2025 the biggest carnival celebrations in the world The costume was designed by Henry Filho—someone who was described by a user in Shayk’s Instagram comments as the “Yves Saint Laurent of Carnival costumes.” A photo carousel on Shayk’s Instagram showed her getting ready and dancing in the massive parade Another photo showed Shayk posing beside Brazilian actor Giovanna Lancellotti Shayk was photographed in a more casual—well still Shayk-esque and elevated—outfit while in Rio and out on a visit to the samba school draped and gauzy white dress with a scoopneck bodysuit underneath It’s polar opposite to her Milan Fashion Week style on and off the runway—she walked for Dolce & Gabbana and opened for Blumarine for creative director David Koma’s debut she cut an elegant figure in a close-fitting floral dress and knee-high boots Photo: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesWherever she is in the world a legendary model like Irina Shayk is going to make it a fashion moment I Just Got Back From L.A. and Everyone Was Wearing Autry Medalist Low Sneakers Amal Clooney Is All About Rib-Grazing Denim for Spring How to Dress Like the Olsen Twins This Spring and Summer 2025 Rihanna Dresses Cozy and Classic to Solo Dine at Her Favorite Restaurant Sign up for Vogue Shopping to receive the insider’s guide to what to shop and how to wear it Listen to The Run-Through with Vogue a weekly podcast featuring the most exciting stories and hot takes from the worlds of culture Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month as well as new features like our Runway Genius quiz Explore the Runway Image Archive where you can access over 1.2 million runway images from past and present fashion shows. Chaeromon except that he was a bishop of Nilopolis in Egypt who was already advanced in age when Emperor Trajanus Decius began the intense persecution of Christians Chaeromon and his companions fled to Arabia and are believed to have been martyred there CNA is a service of EWTN News, Inc. we save some essential small files (cookies) on your computer we would also like to save some extra cookies that help us improve how people find out about ARTICLE 19 Read more about the cookies we use in our Cookie Policy the right to protest and grassroots movements at the heart of Carnival this year including ARTICLE 19’s Brazil and South America regional office Beija-Flor de Nilópolis’ unique contribution to the parade will take place on the evening of Monday The samba’s chief focus will be on people’s power to achieve their rights and freedoms It will also highlight racial and gender equality the fight against poverty with a specific emphasis on housing rights It will celebrate protest as an invaluable tool to bring about change – and to help challenge setbacks or attempts to undermine freedoms Beija-Flor de Nilópolis and its group of carnival-goers will highlight freedom of expression’s vital role in safeguarding rights as endorsed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ‘It will be incredible to celebrate our struggles and victories in the midst of a historic moment that means so much – of democratic reconstruction and passing through the worst moment of the health crisis,’ said Denise Dora executive director of ARTICLE 19’s Brazil and South America’s office ‘We feel honoured to be with Beija-Flor celebrating the vitality of resistance and popular struggles bringing to the avenue the importance of freedom of expression to guarantee human rights.’ After the parade in Rio de Janeiro’s avenue Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí ARTICLE 19 and partner groups will organise a range of activities including an online debate on freedom of expression Another of Beija-Flor de Nilópolis’ key objectives is a celebration of Brazilian identity reclaiming and reframing the narrative about the country’s independence The cry of the excluded’ initiative marks the 200th anniversary of Brazilian independence – but not the ‘official’ one recounted in history books on 7 September when Portugal’s monarchy declared Brazil to be independent is about the significant role the people of Bahia – mainly Indigenous Black and poor people – played in achieving Brazilian independence culminating in the expulsion of the last Portuguese soldiers on 2 July 1823 ‘Information is a fundamental public good for democracy development and dialogue,’ said Marlova Noleto director and representative of UNESCO in Brazil along with ARTICLE 19’s Brazil and South American regional office and other organisations is partnering with Beija-Flor for carnival as a United Nations agency designated to promote freedom of expression and defends initiatives that promote this awareness and highlight the importance of protecting the responsible flow of data and freedom of expression as essential values for democracy which is broadcast live to millions of people educational dimension too: a grandiose open-air stage that reflects society This year Beija-Flor de Nilópolis is showing just what that means to so many in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic and with a new president in office The parade is an opportunity to represent diversity in Brazil and highlight the strong work of civil society organisations across the country ARTICLE 19 and UNESCO will continue to work with civil society organisations on human rights freedom of expression and the right to protest including through developing debates and events about the themes raised by the Beija-Flor de Nilópolis Carnival samba Join our email list Morning Rundown: Trump’s ‘Meet the Press’ interview, Israel okays plan to capture all of Gaza, and the Filipino pope contender  My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts puts flowers on the coffin containing his remains situated next to the casket containing the remains of Victor Hugo Costa Mourners react during the funeral of six teenagers in Nilopolis Ricardo Moraes / Reuters — The bodies of the six youths aged between 15 and 19 were found with signs of torture wrapped in sheets in Mesquita on Monday who live in Nilopolis in the Baixada Fluminense region were in Mesquita for a kite festival and went missing after they decided to visit a waterfall near the Chatuba slum Read More… Follow @NBCNewsPictures •Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter react during his burial ceremony in Olinda are reflected in the sunglasses of a crying girl during Siqueira's funeral in Nilopolis A woman in Nilópolis was arrested on Monday a year after she allegedly killed her roommate following a financially motivated heated row in the apartment they shared for five days in 2020 according to the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro Local police seized suspect Vitoria Roberta Alves da Silva in the Brazilian city of Nilopolis on Monday after she stabbed Luane Honório de Souza in the neck following an alleged financial disagreement in May 2020 De Souza had been in critical condition in a hospital for three months at the State Hospital Adão Pereira Nunes She was buried without a funeral service on Sept The gruesome attack came just five days after the victim invited her soon-to-be-killer to live with her because she was concerned about her friend's financial situation The two women had reportedly been friends for years According to police, just hours after the savagery, Silva sold the victim's belongings including a hairdryer, a flat iron, and a microwave device in the Center of Nilópolis. It led police to suspect that the woman's crimes were financially motivated, Yahoo! News noted Silva also had a history of violence against the victim the homeowner had to flee from her own residence because her violent roommate wanted to maul her with a knife The arrest warrant against the assailant was only served on Monday more than a year after the horrendous crime as well as other substantial evidence collected during the investigation prompted the Court of Justice of Rio to decree the preventive arrest It was then further unraveled that the suspect also holds a police record for drug trafficking and vehicle theft the future host of the 2014 World Cup and of the 2016 Olympics But it is also a country that suffers from extreme violence: some half a million people have been killed there over the last 10 years To highlight the enormity of this number the NGO set up an installation of 500,000 beans - one for each death - spread out over a huge area of red cloths Much of the violence in Brazil comes from warring drug cartels competing for territory in the country’s slums the body of a man thought to have been killed by a rival drugs gang was found in a supermarket cart in the Morro dos Macacos slum of Rio de Janeiro six teenagers were found dead in the municipality of Mesquita with their bodies naked wrapped in sheets and showing signs of torture a boy cries over the coffin of one of the victims The mother of one of the six teenagers who died in Mesquita mourns during the funeral travelled to the municipality to attend a kite festival and then went missing after they decided to visit a waterfall near the Chatuba slum Brazil has also been the scene of other kinds of mass killing In 2011 a Brazilian gunman killed 12 children at a Rio de Janeiro school and then shot himself the first serial killing of its kind in Brazil the relatives of one of the victims carry another family member who had fainted while attending the funeral Many killings happen in poor slum areas know as favelas children carry crosses in the Mandela slum of Rio de Janeiro in 2009 where a young student died during a shootout between policemen and drug dealers A police officer patrols the Jacarezinho slum in Rio de Janeiro a day after drug traffickers shot down a police helicopter and set fire to five buses and a school A police officer takes a position during a law enforcement operation in the Cruzeiro slum in Rio de Janeiro after violence left parts of the city resembling a war zone just two weeks after Rio was awarded the 2016 Olympics A policeman aims his weapon as he stands atop a pick-up truck filled with slabs of marijuana after police seized three tons of the drug during an operation against dealers in the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro where people from all sorts of backgrounds and economic classes live side by side are the strongholds of drug gangs who operate openly carrying high-powered weapons out on the streets the mix of races and social situations in Rio is the beauty of our city and our friendships are as diverse as the city itself Having been raised in a typical neighbourhood I’ve had my share of sad experiences from violence mostly in my adolescence when I lost friends who got involved with criminals or when I saw some wonderful people losing themselves to drugs Every day we heard stories about young neighbours who had bad luck or made bad choices and ended up in jail or were killed by the police Sometimes these stories were about close friends who I grew up side by side with The conflict in Rio is about drugs and money Gangs battle for the control of markets in the favelas which for the record are poor neighbourhoods with their weapons and the absence of state But the drug gangs are not the only ones who capitalise on slum dwellers’ fear charge the residents for security and basic services like transportation and photographers have to be aware of everything happening around us The goal is to keep ourselves safe in the middle of shootouts between police and traffickers and the police can only patrol inside armoured vehicles Lately Rio's state government has started a programme called UPP (Peacekeeping Police Units) which permanently bases policemen inside the slums It starts with a big operation to expel the traffickers from the favela and end their power over residents The program is also working in upscale neighbourhoods such as those near the venues of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games which have been identified as the most dangerous The program seems to be going well in some places drug bandits have managed to remain hidden and continue to challenge the police They still distribute drugs in back alleys and often confront the police with guns The worst situations now are in Rio de Janeiro's furthest outskirts where many traffickers from the pacified areas are moving and entering into battles with existing drug gangs for control of their turf Crack is so terrible that even traffickers used to forbid the sale of it because the addicts caused such serious problems like an increase in assaults and degradation in neighbourhoods big areas of Rio de Janeiro's outskirts should be avoided at all costs In such places you can see how a drug can devastate human beings and turn them into real-life zombies During recent years we have sadly lost colleagues covering violence My first photo editor was kidnapped by the leaders of a militia while he was living inside a favela to work on a story about the life of its residents were tortured and left along Avenida Brasil The bandits were arrested and a big police push against the militias began far from the city and from his friends and relatives was shot dead while covering a police operation in Antares slum He was following the policemen and stepped out from behind a tree to film armed bandits during the shootout He was safe behind a wall but then he followed a police officer to a closer spot and took one more step to film the traffickers The violence is still in my face and I'm still losing friends Irina Shayk donned a very sexy look while celebrating in Brazil after rekindling her romance with NFL legend Tom Brady.  The 39-year-old catwalk queen scintillated as she celebrated Carnival in Rio de Janeiro on Monday  before sharing a nude snap She flaunted her stunning model figure as she celebrated at Beija-Flor de Nilópolis which is a champion Samba school  Irina looked beautiful in a skimpy shimmering blue look as she enjoyed the celebration in the South American country where Tom's ex Gisele Bundchen is from  She donned a skimpy bralette and thong combination which was adorned with shiny blue beads The look was teamed with blue sequined bedazzled gladiator platform heels which went up to the thigh Irina teamed the sexy look with multiple cuffs around her arms along with a dangling piece featuring many silver beads of different sizes which resembled a skirt Resembling her Victoria's Secret looks she donned a pair of shining silver wings which were attached to her back Perhaps the pièce de résistance was an epic headpiece which featured beads on the top of her head which flowed down the side of her face along with shiny blue feather-like material which stood up over two feet over her head She showcased her natural model looks with complementary make-up on her face topped off with nude lip Irina later took to Instagram to share a very sexy snap of herself wearing no clothes at all while laying on a bed The only thing she had on was blue jeweled cuffs and a matching wraparound necklace in the sultry snaps from photographer João K  Carnival is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday A few weeks ago it was reported that Irina and Tom had rekindled their romance.  The celebrity couple previously dated for four months in 2023 before calling it quits in October of that year 'Tom and Irina have started dating each other again and are open to see where things go,' an insider told Page Six last month just months after his ex-wife Gisele Bundchen's A second source told the outlet that Brady and Shayk had discussed going on a trip together around New Year's 'They've been talking on the phone,' the insider dished 'Neither one is in a serious relationship right now The catwalk veteran and the football great were first linked back in July 2023, when he was pictured caressing her face in his Rolls Royce following an overnight rendezvous at his Los Angeles home It came as rumors started swirling after they both attended billionaire art heir Joe Nahmad's wedding to Madison Headrick in Sardinia The pair ignited a firestorm of rumors surrounding their relationship At the time, a source told DailyMail.com exclusively, 'If Tom had more time for love he would be all about it and would likely still be dating Irina 'But Tom is keeping himself busy with his businesses getting ready for his commentating job next year he knew he wasn't able to give his full attention and time to Irina and she is such a good person that he didn't want her to feel less than in his world.' 'Maybe they will find each other in the future Tom separated from Gisele, with whom he has children Vivian, 12, and Benjamin, 15, in 2022 after 13 years. Their divorce was finalized in October that year. He also has a 16-year-old son, John, with his ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan. Just two weeks ago news broke that Gisele has welcomed a third child, her first with new love Joaquim Valente. Irina was in a relationship with Bradley Cooper, 50, for four years. They share seven-year-old daughter Lea de Seine Cooper.  The exes have an amicable co-parenting relationship.  Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} groups of bate-bolas roam the streets of their neighbourhoods in elaborate costumes dozens of masked figures burst on to a street in a blaze of colour each clutching a stick from which hangs a rubber ball As they prance through a crowd of raucous onlookers they repeatedly slam the balls against the ground with a dull thud that gets lost in the crackle of fireworks overhead a world away from the glitzy Sambadrome parades and beachside street parties it is these clown-like figures who reign over the pre-Lenten revelry delighting and frightening in equal measure with their mesmerising costumes and playful antics “It’s our escape valve … When you slam the ball you let everything out,” said Bruno Nicolau Agnelo who 20 years ago founded a bate-bola group in Nilópolis The Bombardeio do Paiol bate-bola group gather in a sports court before bursting out onto the streets of Nilópolis Photograph: Alan Lima/The Guardian“Bate-bola culture helps us create bonds of friendship We consider ourselves a family,” Agnelo added of his group of 140 men who roam the streets during carnival to the sound of favela funk music clad head to toe in voluminous outfits and feathered masks – part of a tradition whose roots date back to medieval Celtic rituals in Portugal Some groups carry ornate parasols instead of a ball and a growing number of women are also getting involved in what was originally a male pastime named Bombardeio do Paiol (Bombardment from Paiol) after their neighbourhood’s old gunpowder factory has a sister group called the Bombardettes “It’s a culture that ends up mixing and combining different elements and adapting over time,” said Gustavo Lacerda a cultural producer who has studied Rio’s bate-bolas the bate-bolas [exist] in multiple forms … but they are united in their extravagance.” The bate-bola groups spend months preparing their costumes for carnival by hand. Photograph: Alan Lima/The GuardianBruno Nicolau Agnelo holds up a flag that reads ‘All against racism!’ This year the Bombardeio do Paiol bate-bola group picked anti-racism as their theme with a tribute to footballer Vinícius Júnior Photograph: Alan Lima/The GuardianBrightly coloured feathers patterned tights and brand-new trainers with the label still on are all elements of bate-bolas’ themed outfits which the groups spend months making by hand and can set each member back more than the monthly minimum wage (about £215) The Lion King, the Buddha and Pablo Escobar were some of the characters adorning bate-bola costumes on the streets of Nilópolis this year. The Bombardeios picked anti-racism as their theme with a tribute to footballer Vinícius Júnior “It’s a necessary theme,” said Michel Eduardo while decorating the group’s flagpoles a couple of weeks before carnival as he threaded elastic band through dozens of rompers of bate-bola groups of varying size across Rio and in 2012 they were recognised as part of the city’s cultural heritage but they remain largely unknown to Cariocas from the wealthier south zone – or they are dismissed as hooligans Photograph: Alan Lima/The Guardian“It’s prejudice,” said Lacerda explaining that mainstream media always focused negatively on fights between rival groups rather than on the year-round work and discipline that goes into this cultural tradition No one should say that bate-bolas are thugs I think they’re beautiful,” said Antônio Fernando Vinícius Júnior’s grandfather and a Nilópolis local who came out on carnival Saturday to see his grandson’s glittery likeness on the Bombardeio costumes The atmosphere was feverish as the group prepared for their climactic exit in their local neighbourhood After 40-odd children in miniature bate-bola outfits ran out at midnight for the kids’ version nearly 150 men packed into a sports court to don their elaborate bulky costume and spray themselves with a sickly-sweet perfume made for the occasion The thud of slamming balls was replaced by an almost reverent silence as Agnelo a thrill that’s out of the ordinary,” said Lucas Silva of the moment a bate-bola bounds on to the street black bands could be spotted on some of the wrists of those who marched to the driving beats It was an uncharacteristically sombre touch for the prestigious Beija-Flor samba school 12 times winners of the city’s carnival parade The black bands worn at a rehearsal for the carnival were a tribute to a dancer who had been killed the week before a transvestite who lived as a woman and was known by the name Piu to those in the school where she danced had often joked to the “queen of the drums” that she would one day steal her crown and take her place as the most prominent woman in Beija-Flor’s parade That ambition was never to be realised as Da Silva’s tortured corpse was discovered on 23 January It was a murder that provided macabre confirmation of Brazil’s homophobia and transphobia problem as well as shining a light on the criminal underworld that lurks behind the happy-go-lucky carnival facade The alarm had first been raised the week before when Da Silva failed to turn up for a rehearsal at the samba school’s quadra or main hall – she never missed a practice so her relatives and friends became concerned Next day a shocking video surfaced on social media purporting to show her being tortured to death in a nearby favela known as Morro da Mina Da Silva lived in the neighbouring district of Anchieta which is close to both the samba school headquarters and Morro da Mina The footage showed Da Silva pleading with unseen aggressors while they grilled her about what she was doing there Her face and body were already covered in blood Frantic relatives searched the area after the video was released and found her body There has since been wild speculation about what caused her tragic death The most obvious motive appeared to be transphobia The world of carnival is defined by its high camp and in recent years a gay soap actor had appeared on a strawberry-scented float to rapturous applause Men dressed as women fill the streets of Rio as part of the celebrations Yet homophobia is also entrenched in Brazil trans or bisexual person killed on average every 28 hours Some of the online comments seemed to back this up condemning the wristband homage and using derogatory homophobic slang such as bicha (animal) to describe Da Silva a National Trans Visibility day was held in Brazil with transvestites and transsexuals descending on Rio’s city hall to raise awareness of violence and prejudice against trans people which works to get trans people into employment said: “Foreigners come to carnival expecting free sex and love but the image Brazil exports of freedom and liberty is false There is a lot of prejudice in society still.” Murders of transsexuals and transvestites are common according to a report by Grupo Gay da Bahia Brazil’s most established gay rights group that other motives could also have contributed to Da Silva’s murder – ones related to the organised crime that is pervasive in places like Morro de Mina One indication was the wall of silence that greeted her death from many quarters You never know who is listening or watching and they don’t want to get involved,” one member of Beija-Flor said in reference to the climate of fear surrounding the dancer’s murder The samba school would not respond to media requests and many members refused to even confirm that they knew Da Silva despite her attendance record and reputation as one of the most lively members of the Beija-Flor school as she was in the quadra every Wednesday and Thursday,” one woman told the Extra newspaper so I came to show my support.” Others refused to speak at all Photograph: ObserverThe area of Nilopolis in Rio’s northern suburbs far from its beaches and tourist attractions with its illustrious place in samba history; it is also covered by a patchwork of favelas dominated by frequently warring drug gangs including the notorious Comando Vermelho (Red Command) On the Facebook community page dedicated to Nilopolis some residents describe Morro da Mina as a “hell” where violence rules southern parts of Rio where tourists flock favelas dominated by drug gangs for decades have been occupied by military police pacification units (UPPs) since 2008 The project has claimed some success in reducing murders but violent and corrupt police methods have been criticised One of the limitations of the project has been its restriction to certain areas leaving others in the north and east of the city all but abandoned by state forces “The UPP was seeking to permanently engage excluded places and it is not clear why the authorities decided to only install 40 UPPs,” said Robert Muggah of the Rio-based security thinktank Igarapé Institute As well as traditional armed groups selling drugs militias made up of police and ex-police and other forces have taken control of much of the territory in recent years the militia gangs sell services such as gas to the community at inflated prices and extract money through extortion and protection rackets They also mete out their own crude form of social justice: beating up gay men and punishing women who have cheated on their husbands Da Silva’s explanation to her torturers in the video – that she was meeting a policeman – has led to speculation that she was somehow connected to the gangs Her business really was samba,” said her brother-in-law Rio’s Civil Police declined to comment on the case only stating that investigations are continuing Despite attempts to clean up the samba world it is still heavily funded by criminal activity Beija-Flor has been under fire in recent years for being funded and controlled by bicheiros the bosses of an illegal but profitable gambling game called Jogo do Bicho Rio’s mayor Eduardo Paes even admitted he was powerless to eliminate the power of criminal gangs over Rio’s samba schools in the face of the huge popularity of their performances More than 900,000 tourists are expected in Rio for the official parade on Friday The Beija-Flor school has planned a sumptuous parade in a nod to the African roots of both the samba sound and the people living in the poorer communities where it thrives The school’s leaders refused to say whether the show would include a tribute to its much-loved dancer Piu This article was amended on Sunday 8 February 2015 to correct the spelling of bicha This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media A Brazilian samba school shrugged off a controversy over alleged funding by an African strongman president and went on to claim its 13th win at the Rio Carnival championship on Wednesday has denied media reports it was bankrolled to the tune of nearly $5 million by the president of Equatorial Guinea Obiang Nguema and his son are facing allegations of money laundering and corruption oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and critics have labeled him a ruthless dictator Beija-Flor scored 259.9 points to land its 13th title and see off rivals Salgueiro by 0.4 points the Beija-Flor team will now bring the final curtain down on this year's carnival festivities at Saturday's Parade of Champions told AFP they had merely received "cultural support and imported fabrics" from Equatorial Guinea which is located on the Atlantic coast in central Africa Beija-Flor supporters burst into wild cheers at the Sambadrome in downtown Rio where Sunday and Monday night the top 12 samba schools had battled it out for glory The jury considered various aspects of each team's performance in carefully choreographed parades at the Sambadrome in front of crowds of some 72,000 people The jurors award points in categories ranging from the highly decorative school floats the quality of their massed ranks of percussionists and how well the roughly 4,000-strong team move in sync with each other while singing their school song The record of carnival celebrations dates back to 1723 - but the first samba school was not formed until 1928 It was 9pm on Wednesday and training at Alliance Leblon was packed with outsiders from the state of Minas Gerais competitors in the final stages of training for the Brazilian Nationals which continues this Saturday and ends on Sunday But the center of attention was that old Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva student wearing a Koral gi and broad grin on his face where he heads a school for the kids from the Beija-Flor samba school Elan was overcome with emotion and embraced his friend if I’m going to get to submit Tererê once in my life with the firm hip that wowed Jiu-Jitsu fans and his malleability spun and escaped in surprising fashion: “You think I’m a fool?” he said smiling So Elan tried to surprise with the turtle guard The star from the Cantagalo favela faked getting caught in a sweep came back with an omoplata and sunk and armbar “The guy’s been training since 4 pm and now it’s 9!” And he took flight from a sweep and tapped to a choke from back mount The way he moves is enchanting,” Elan would say after having an açaí with the Jiu-Jitsu wizard “It’s time to forget the past and look to the future I want to training and get my body back into top shape maybe I’ll win a Worlds before ending my career,” he told GRACIEMAG.com Tererê”) one that became famous during the fighter’s tough times My goal is to train here with Master Gigi and the folks who wish me well I’m training three times a day and feel great And I’ll be there at the Brazilian Nationals in Tijuca Pragmatic88Slot Gacor