São Paulo Carnival associations plan to throw street parties in April

Associations in charge of approximately 85 percent of Carnival street parties in São Paulo city have published a letter against the city’s decision stipulating that the blocos – as they are usually referred to in Portuguese – must not parade on the streets of the capital on the Tiradentes holiday, April 21. Samba schools, on the other hand, will parade during the same period at the Anhembi sambodrome.

The letter was disclosed Monday (Apr. 4), signed by representatives from six associations, including the Union of Street Carnival Blocos of São Paulo State, UBCRESP.

In the manifesto, entitled Free Street Carnival with Diversity and Democracy! Against Police Violence and Censorship, the bodies argue there is no reason for the city and state governments of São Paulo to ban the blocos, while major events and music festivals have already been granted permission and are currently taking place in the capital. In the text, the associations declare that the blocos will be held regardless of restrictions.

“Our celebrations will take shape and will be seen in the streets, corners, alleys, and squares of our city as it has always happened. The festivities will flourish as they have always done.”

The blocos, the document argues, observed the pandemic period and refrained from partying as much as possible in the last two years to meet the collective responsibility of preserving lives, but these days, it goes on, there is no reason to stop independent partying, as the health landscape seems hopeful and stable, even for parades at the sambadrome. They also question the criteria favoring gatherings in private spaces at the same time as they repress free, public festivities:

“We will not tolerate violence against Carnival. We will not tolerate threats, censorship, punishment, or constraints—physical or legal—against our right to beat our drums in the open.”

Logistic complexity

São Paulo city, in turn, mentioned the “logistic complexity” in the organization of Carnival blocos. In a statement, the government said all authorized events are private and should take place in private areas, adding that organizers are responsible for infrastructure, security, and compliance to existing protocols.

“One must differentiate the complexity of organizing a Carnival bloco from that of throwing a private, Carnival-themed party. It is must be clear that there is nothing barring cultural manifestations or free expression. There is only zeal on the authorities’ part in not supporting an event that traditionally attracts millions of people and as a result requires months of planning, due to the complex logistics of support structures, routes, and security for all participants.”