Protest is as much part of the Rio carnival as sequins in 2020

Rio de Janeiro — Rio de Janeiro kicked off its annual carnival parades on Sunday in a swirl of glitter, sequins and barely covered skin, an over-the-top spectacle that in 2020 is packed with political commentary on Brazil’s far-right government. Vying for the title of carnival champions, the city’s 13 top samba schools get about one hour each to wow spectators and judges with elaborate shows flush with scantily clad dancers, small armies of drummers and huge floats built on seemingly impossible feats of engineering. The event has taken a particularly political turn after a year under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has deeply divided Brazil...