This date becomes the center of the country's life, with thousands of locals and tourists flooding the streets to enjoy the vibrant rhythm of samba and fully experience the celebration.
However, this year, the start of Carnival has been overshadowed by a tragic incident: a fire at a costume factory operating under irregular conditions has left 21 people injured, several of them in serious condition, as reported by Afp.
The workers at the Maximus factory were rushing these days to complete the costumes for the samba schools participating in the Sambadrome parades, an event that represents the effort and dedication of an entire year in Rio de Janeiro.