THE STREET CARNIVAL OF RIO DE JANEIRO AS A POSSIBILITY OF EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO THE CITY

Abstract

This article aims to discuss how the carnival of Rio de Janeiro, more specifically, the carnival of street blocks, which occupies much of the city, can be seen as an exercise of the right to the city. At the same time carnival brings together thousands of people in the streets, it also brings with it dirt, it affects traffic and spreads a kind of chaos in the city. On the other hand, it also brings benefits such as the increase of local trade, the expansion of popular culture, and leisure to the revelers. Thus, discussing the Rio carnival is an essential topic to understand the right of access to the city. The carnival in the streets of Rio de Janeiro is an eminently popular carnival. It is a free party; the municipality prohibits the creation of placeholders or cabins on city streets. Therefore, in theory, anyone can join the crowd. With sponsored blocks and other ones kept by revelers themselves, the carnival changes the city. The street is no longer just a pathway – it is now occupied by people. The noise of vehicles is replaced by music, traditional in most cases. So, even bringing chaos along with the music and culture, the experience of the carnival, as a traditional Brazilian popular party, clearly becomes a public practice of the right to the city, since the gentrification process is momentarily neutralized and the government power intervention has to be limited – never to prohibit, but only to facilitate and enable a peaceful coexistence.