Page 12 - AT

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 26 February 2020
Brazilian politicians

Continued from Page 8 scientist at Getulio Var-
gas Foundation University,
During the parades, he was said barbs from the samba
photographed hand in school have become more
hand with a reveler. pointed.
The military did not like the "Carnival has always been
images from that night be- political, but the criticisms
cause the young woman used to be more broad," he
next to Franco was not said. "In recent years, we've
wearing any underwear, seen the criticisms become
which they considered un- more personalized and go
dignified for a president. after specific politicians."
But politicians quickly no- He noted deeply unpopu-
ticed Franco had become lar ex-President Michel Te-
more popular because of mer was portrayed as a
Carnival. "neoliberal vampire" with
His successors — Fernando dollar bills coming out of his
Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Iná- collar.
cio Lula da Silva and Dilma Bolsonaro is the leader of
Rousseff — all attended the Brazil's sharp swing toward Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the
parade, either on the job or rightist, conservative politi- Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.
during election campaigns. cians who tend to reject Associated Press
And so did their opponents. Carnival as debauchery light-hearted ceremony of inside the Sambadrome. entire country did the sam-
"Politicians are a bit afraid and excessive. The coun- at which the mayor turns Rio de Janeiro state Gov. ba, fell victim fake news!"
of the people," Carlos Lupi, try is also slowly recovering over the key to the city to Wilson Witzel made what part of the school's samba
president of Brazil's Labor from a brutal recession and the King of Carnival. Since local press called a "dis- lyrics read.
Democratic Party, told jour- is about to enter the sev- taking office, he has never creet" appearance at the Bolsonaro was elected at
nalists at the Sambadrome. enth year of the sweeping shown up at the Sambad- Sambodrome on Sunday, the end of 2018 on a cam-
Lupi has attended every "Car Wash"corruption scan- rome — this year, the fourth entering the runway briefly paign largely run on social
parade for almost two de- dal. "Things haven't been and final year of his first only to be booed by the media, and his opponents
cades and comes on the good in Brazil for several term, was no different. crowd and retreat. have accused him of dis-
floor with several samba years, so politicians being "People always say, 'The The Sao Clemente school's seminating misinformation.
schools. He said that since seen at these parties with mayor doesn't like Carni- last float on Monday night The Brazilian fact-checking
the mammoth "Car Wash" lots of celebration and al- val, the mayor's a person of was called "the fake news site Aos Fatos says it has
corruption investigation cohol would look bad," God who wants to put an factory" and was led by a tallied 691 misleading or
that has ensnared dozens Praça said. end to our party,'" Crivella giant puppet of Pinochio false claims by the presi-
from the government and Rio's mayor, Marcelo Criv- complained to reporters and included a huge cell- dent since he took office
business elite, he has seen ella, an evangelical bish- Friday. phone screen exchang- in January 2019. "This isn't a
fewer politicians at Carni- op, has gained infamy "I've been a person of God ing WhatsApp messages protest against politics, but
val events. among Carnival's revelers since I was a child, but I re- of misinformation that has against bad politicians who
"People don't want to take for cutting the budget for spect everyone," he add- flown around far-right so- lie to get themselves elect-
pictures with politicians the samba schools' elabo- ed, saying he watched that cial networks. ed," said Marcio Tavares,
anymore," Lupi said. rate parades and failing to night's parade from a near- "Brazil posted, went viral, another performer in Sao
Sergio Praça, a political participate in a traditional, by security center instead didn't even look! And the Clemente's parade.q

Mexicans protest “private beach” at Ex-Guatemala prosecutor

Playa del Carmen resort granted asylum in U.S.

GUATEMALA CITY (AP)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — aisle” on the sand. Video ters inland from the high — Guatemala’s former
With chants of “Free posted on social media tide line. In a statement, chief prosecutor said
beach!”and waving plac- showed the couple being the beach club had said, Monday she has been
ards, banners and Mexi- handcuffed and wrestled “On Feb. 16, a couple laid granted asylum in the
can flags, hundreds of pro- off the beach by police down to sunbathe in an United States, in the face
testers staged a symbolic as other people objected, aisle that exists expressly of charges filed in her
beach party on a stretch noting beach access is for the transit of our guests home country that she In this March 10, 2019 file
photo,
Thelma
Aldana,
of sand in the Caribbean protected by law. and staff, and for that rea- claims are retaliation for Guatemala's former chief
resort of Playa del Carmen Sunday’s protest was billed son they were kindly asked her anti-corruption cam- prosecutor, listens to a
where two Mexican tourists as a “Mass Picnic,” in which to move somewhere else ... paign. journalist's question as she
were briefly arrested last largely local people in- their reacted with threats Thelma Aldana made gives a press conference
week for refusing to leave stalled themselves on the and insults.” the announcement in a during her campaign event
the beach. stretch of sand in front of The mayor of Playa del Car- telephone interview from for president, in Guatemala
A private “beach club” the restaurant with beach men, Laura Beristain, apol- New York. She has been City. Associated Press
known as Mamita’s had umbrellas, towels and food. ogized to the two tourists living in the United States Aldana said. “If you act
been charging to use Activists used a large mea- and embraced them. The for almost a year, after correctly, you will get
lounge chairs placed al- suring tape to determine two were quickly released, a Guatemalan court re- support.”
most up to the water’s the 20 meters (yards) of and Beristain said the of- fused to allow her can- Aldana’s supporters say
edge, and it called munici- “free” beach space. ficers who arrested them didacy in the 2019 presi- the purchase price was
pal police when the cou- Federal law states the would be placed under dential election. approved by the comp-
ple refused to leave what public cannot be denied investigation for improper
the club called “a service access to a space 20 me- use of force.q “This a great message,” troller’s office.q