International press reports demotion of the samba school that honored Lula, Academicians of Niterói

Academicos de Niterói – Hope arises from Alto do Mulungu: Lula, the worker from Brazil The international press reported on the relegation of the samba school Acadêmicos de Niterói, which paid homage to president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva. In the counting on Wednesday (18), Acadêmicos de Niterói came in last place and was demoted from the Special Group of the Rio de Janeiro carnival. The samba school made its debut in the elite groups this year. Throughout the investigation, she received only two 10s. BBC BBC cover of February 19, 2026 with the headline: “Samba school that praised Brazil’s Lula at Rio Carnival is demoted”. Reproduction The British press vehicle BBC reported the relegation of Acadêmicos de Niterói and said that the samba school parade had “an additional element of entertainment this year: political controversy”. Furthermore, he highlighted that the opposition accused the school of promoting an early campaign for the October elections, when Lula is seeking a fourth term. The report also mentioned that legal actions to stop the parade were rejected and that the president attended the presentation at the Sambadrome. France24 “Carnival parade in honor of Lula finishes in last place in the samba school competition amid negative reaction”: title of the news published by France24 on February 19, 2026. Reproduction France 24 said that the tribute provoked “lively controversy” even before the parade, with sectors of the right classifying the presentation as a form of “disguised campaign” in favor of the president, a candidate for re-election. The vehicle also highlighted that the parade accumulated controversy and legal threats. The report also highlighted that jurors evaluate schools based on technical and aesthetic criteria, but noted that the political context amplified the repercussion of the result. France 24 also drew attention to the fact that Lula attended the parade at the Sambadrome, describing the episode as the first tribute to a sitting head of state in the recent history of Rio’s carnival. La Nación “Homage to Lula comes in last place in the Rio Carnival competition under a hail of criticism”: title of the Argentine newspaper La Nación of an article republished from AFP, on February 19, 2026. Reproduction The Argentine newspaper La Nácion republished an article from the news agency France Presse describing the political and religious criticism generated by the parade. The vehicle highlighted that the right-wing opposition classified the presentation as a “covert campaign” in favor of the 80-year-old president, in power since 2023 and a pre-candidate for re-election in October. The newspaper also highlighted that the Acadêmicos de Niterói parade criticized and satirized former president Jair Bolsonaro, described as a “clown behind bars”, in addition to a segment called “neoconservadores en conserva”, which showed interpreters dressed as a traditional family inside a can. According to La Nación, this part provoked a strong reaction from the right, who accused the parade of attacking Christian values. The newspaper mentioned demonstrations on social media, including images made by artificial intelligence, in addition to statements by senator Flávio Bolsonaro and deputy Nikolas Ferreira, who announced legal measures. Academics from Niterói Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction

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