The Brazilian Court of Auditors (TCU) requested the partial suspension of public funds allocated to the parade of the Académicos de Niterói samba school, in Marquês de Sapucaí, in Rio de Janeiro, on February 15, Carnival Sunday. In question, a tribute to Lula, current president of the Republic, in the samba-enredo.
Understanding that carnival promotes international tourism in the country, the Brazilian Tourism Institute (Embratur), a public body, allocates 12 million reais, close to two million euros, every year to the Independent League of Sambas Schools (Liesa), which then divides the amount, one million reais, around 160 thousand euros, equally between the 12 schools in the main division of the event.
In the case of the samba that pays homage to Lula, under the title “Lula, the worker of Brazil”, a TCU auditor understands that there is a “deviation of purpose”. “In violation of the principles of unavailability of the public interest, impersonality and morality”, reads the analysis by Gregório de Faria, signed on January 29th.
The analysis was provoked by complaints from parliamentarians opposing the government, including Senator Damares Alves, former minister of Jair Bolsonaro, who highlights, “in addition to the personal promotion of the current president of the Republic”, the attacks on “false myths” in samba, in what can be understood as an indirect reference to the former president, called a “myth” by supporters.
The school, in turn, talks about “censorship”: “freedom of expression has to be defended”, said Anderson Pipico, honorary president of Académicos de Niterói and Rio councilor for the PT, Lula’s party. Embratur reinforces that the funds must be divided equally between the schools, according to the agreement established with Liesa.
The President of the Republic, however, was invited to parade at the school but Planalto security is still evaluating the feasibility of his presence.
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