Carnival tries to shake off violence

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Revelers clad in black and white flocked to the city's center yesterday for the traditional Black Ball band, putting aside the violence that has cast a shadow over Rio de Janeiro in recent weeks.

The Black Ball band, which has played carnival since 1918, traditionally opens the first full day of celebrations attracting tens of thousands of people to the city's downtown.

Rio Mayor Cesar Maia handed over the key to the city to the carnival king -- named Rei Momo -- in a ceremony outside City Hall on Friday and declared that "from this moment, happiness will reign across the city."

But as a police band played carnival marches and dancers on stilts danced the samba, the celebration was overshadowed by the city's rising crime rate, including drug-gang battles and last week's dragging death of a 6-year-old boy.

"Rio has to overcome these regrettable facts and affirm its nature and the identity of a cohesive, tranquil, peaceful, and happy people. Carnival is a good moment to face these facts and say 'no' to them," Maia said.

The killing of João Helio Fernandes, who was dragged for four miles alongside a car after it was stolen, shocked a city somewhat inured to violence. Rio is one of the world's most violent cities, with a homicide rate of around 50 per 100,000.

On Friday night, several "blocos" -- as the street carnival groups are known -- paid homage to Fernandes by distributing white flowers in his memory.

The city also has faced a wave of violence stemming from battles between drug gangs and paramilitary militias made up of active and off-duty police, firefighters, and soldiers who in recent weeks have been waging bloody battles for control of the city's shantytowns.

Although the federal government has sent in special troops to quell the violence, at least 15 people have been killed in shootouts during the past week.

The vice president of a top samba school, Salgueiro, and his wife were shot dead last week. Police are still seeking a motive.

Still, many in Rio appeared ready to celebrate.

"The question of violence is notorious," said Alex de Oliveira Silva, the carnival king for the ninth year running. "It requires some serious work, but during carnival we have the right to play, and I hope people filled with the spirit of carnival can enjoy the permeability between social classes and respect each other."

The high point of Rio's celebrations is the samba parade on Sunday and Monday nights when 13 of the city's top-tier carnival groups will parade through the specially designed "Sambadromo" stadium, which holds 60,000. The festivities will end Tuesday night, with the Christian observation of Lent beginning Wednesday.