“Latin American Carnival”: what the war between the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine could lead to. The colorful colors of the carnivals of Latin America Carnivals of Latin America

The carnival season in Latin America can be considered open:
On February 3, the country's largest and longest running
in Latin America, the carnival parade “Llamadas”. We present to your attention the photographs,
taken on the first day of the carnival, during the parade of drummers Desfile de llamadas,
which traditionally lasts all night and is considered one of the key moments of the Uruguayan Carnival.
Be careful, there are explicit photos.

1. The first city in Latin America to host a carnival this year was Montevideo. Here, according to tradition, on the first Friday of February, the Challenge Parade (Las llamadas) was held. As usual, the scene is Isla de Flores, Montevideo street connecting the neighborhoods of Palermo and Sur.

2. The absolute leader in popularity belongs to the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, but the carnival in Uruguay is certainly recognized as the longest carnival in the world - it usually lasts about 40 days.

3. Every year during the Uruguayan Carnival, performances and entertainment, including performances by the famous Uruguayan drummers "Llamadas", continue day and night.

4. On February 3, thousands of participants in the country's largest carnival parade, Llamadas, took to the streets of the Uruguayan capital.

5. Carnival in Uruguay is one of the oldest and most colorful in Latin America. It lasts longer than all other Latin American carnival parades.

6. The central event of the Uruguayan carnival is the traditional parade of drummers "Desfile de llamadas" (Challenge Parade).

7. In the photo: one of the participants of the "comparsas" - dance groups that take part in the Llamadas carnival procession. Dance groups "comparasas" unite co-workers or neighbors in the neighborhood. Each comparsa has its own style, its own costumes and dances.

8. Instead of samba, which is popular in Brazil, Uruguay has its own national dance - candombe, to which it is not the melody that is important, but the rhythm. It was created by African slaves who were brought to work on plantations. Starting from the 30s of the 19th century, it was danced by slaves at festivities, which took place with the permission of the owners in February.

9. Standard bearers, musicians and dancers take part in the street processions of the Uruguayan carnival.

10. The frantic pace of African rhythms makes an indelible impression on everyone who has ever heard these performances. (See video at the bottom of the post)

11. This year's "Desfile de llamadas" drum parade featured 40 groups of 80 drummers each.

12. Competing with each other, drum bands create an unimaginable roar, trying to attract as many temperamental dancers as possible. Photo: Drummers perform traditional candombe music during the carnival.

13. Age restrictions does not exist for drummers - both children and old people can take part in the procession.

14. To the roar of drums in the rhythm of “candombe”, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, and heroes of African legends walk along the shore of the Rio de la Plata in the southern region of Montevideo.

15. Unlike all other Latin American carnivals, the only musical accompaniment of the festive procession in the Uruguayan carnival is drums.

16. The festival is almost 130 years old; it originated on the outskirts of Montevideo as a celebration of slaves brought to the South American continent by Spanish colonialists.

17. Carnival in Montevideo is traditionally considered “African,” although out of the 3.5 million inhabitants of this country, only 150 thousand are black.

18. The show involves dozens of dance groups following each other. The parade begins before dark and ends in the morning. Each group has a name, usually with an African theme.

19. The Motevideo authorities are concerned about attracting tourists and popularizing the Uruguayan carnival in the world, which would become a source of additional jobs and strengthen the position of artists.

20. The area around Isla de Flores, where the carnival procession takes place. fenced off - only participants or spectators who have purchased a ticket in advance can enter it. Residents of the Palermo and Sur neighborhoods, of course, do not miss the opportunity to earn extra money and sell tourists places on their balconies, near windows, or simply on the street at their doors.

When we have snow, carnival time begins in hot, sunny summer Latin America on the eve of Lent. To see the famous procession of half-naked beauties dancing samba to the beat of drums, you can go not only to Rio de Janeiro. A whirlwind of cheerful madness is sweeping over all countries of the continent these days.

Brazil

The most ambitious show on the planet takes place annually in the last week before Lent in Rio de Janeiro. The customs of ritual dances of African slaves and the European traditions of Catholic immigrants organizing riotous celebrations on the eve of long abstinence mixed and today turned into a colorful procession-competition between the 14 most famous samba schools. The general fun begins on Friday when the mayor hands over the keys to the city to the carnival king, who becomes a full-fledged ruler who can even make any laws. Each samba school prepares its own performance, lasting 82 minutes. The column, which must parade in front of the audience and the jury, consists of 3-5 thousand people: these are “walking” dancing beauties, and moving platforms, a place on which can be purchased by anyone who is not sorry to part with several hundred euros in order to to walk 700 meters along the sambadrome - a special alley surrounded by stands. In each of the samba schools, they rehearse dances for a whole year, sew costumes, think over the design of the carts, develop a script for the theatrical procession, and therefore in Brazil they say that the carnival begins the next day after its end.

Argentina

Incendiary dances and songs, bright outfits decorated with feathers and sequins do not leave the streets of Argentine cities for two whole months. This country hosts the longest carnival in the world. From about the first Saturday in January until the first Saturday in March, every weekend the streets are filled with dancers performing passionate samba to the rhythmic beat of hundreds of drums. Moreover, the most colorful celebrations do not take place in the capital. If you want to be at the epicenter of the action, head to the towns of Gualeguaychu, Corrientes, Libresi and Pasodelos. It is there that the carnival fields-"corsodromo" and the longest stands for spectators await you.

Belize

Even this small country has its own carnival. Don't miss the opening of the holiday - the grand parade in San Pedro! Among the most popular events are dancing competitions, and the most popular are usually those dressed as women. Just when you wear your best outfit to the carnival, know that at this time it is customary to sprinkle each other with multi-colored powder.

Bolivia

No matter what region of Bolivia you vacation in, the ten-day carnival will overtake you everywhere. The cheerful holiday appeared back in the 18th century, when local Indians were forced to disguise their pagan rituals as Catholic holidays. The most famous carnival, recognized by the UN as the “Spiritual Heritage of Humanity,” takes place in the town of Oruro. Tens of thousands of costumed dancers and musicians participate in the main parade, which lasts 20 hours. The most ancient dance of this festival tells the story of the struggle between good and evil and is called diavlada. And the five-kilometer procession ends with a general genuflection in front of the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Venezuela

For Venezuelans, carnival is their favorite holiday. For a few days business life The country is at a standstill, and colorful events are taking place in all cities, each with its own. Having passed through several villages at this time, you will be surprised to discover that the traditions are completely different everywhere: in some music festivals, in others - processions, in others - folk performances are performed. However, traveling around the country during the carnival is not recommended: too many people drunk and intoxicated by various substances get behind the wheel, which leads to a huge number of accidents every year.

Dominican Republic

If Lent has begun and you think you've already missed all the carnivals this year, head to the Dominican Republic. The holiday in this country begins only on February 28 and lasts a whole week (although in the provinces they can be so wild to the rhythms of national merengue melodies that they will not stop until Easter). The main character of the performances is the devil. Moreover, in each region of the country it is customary to dress it up in its own way. The final procession of carts, arriving from all over the country, takes place in Santo Domingo, on the embankment. Here, in the capital, awards are given out for the most outstanding performance.

Colombia

This country hosts one of the largest carnivals in the world, declared by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The location is the city of Barranquilla. Many years ago, the religious holiday mixed with local traditions: African slaves celebrated their only day off of the year. Theatre, songs, dances - everything merged together and turned into a grandiose, exciting spectacle. The first parade takes place in January. It begins with the reading of the decree. Night processions, children's processions, and orchestra performances last a couple of weeks.

Trinidad and Tobago

The carnival in this tiny island state is not inferior to the Brazilian one in terms of entertainment. The celebration lasts only 2 days, but it is the noisiest, wildest and craziest holiday in the entire Caribbean. The opening of the carnival takes place in the capital at Queen Savannah Park. Days and nights in the open air there are musical and dance performances, fairs, exhibitions, all kinds of colorful shows and calypso competitions - the unique music of African slaves who were forbidden to communicate, and therefore they were forced to replace conversation with special songs.

Chile

The spring carnival in Atacama is perhaps the most “non-tourist” of all such Latin American holidays. Only a few lucky foreigners manage to see everything that happens with their own eyes. Local residents do not want outsiders to participate in it, and therefore will never tell visiting guests where it will take place. If you accidentally hear music and singing, get ready for the unexpected: these days it is customary to sprinkle flour on everyone indiscriminately and then pour grape juice on them. Carnival in Chile is completely different from the usual colorful dance processions. In Atacama, participants in the action... carol: they go from house to house, sing peculiar ditties and accept simple treats from their owners.

Dominica

Carnival in Dominica is the most best time to visit the island. These days, costumed groups fill the streets of the capital - Roseau, where colorful and noisy competitions are held to choose the queen of the carnival, and calypso singers compete in singing songs on the most relevant topics this year. The local holiday did not become an exact copy of other Caribbean carnivals, but preserved the cultural traditions of the island and the settlers. During the processions, carnival participants dress in traditional West African costumes made from ropes and banana leaves, complete with a mask. And the celebration ends with the burning of the carnival spirit, which marks the beginning of Lent.

The SBU detained NABU employee Sergei Boyarsky, the son of former Party of Regions deputy Yuri Boyarsky. The detainee is suspected of provocation and bribery of the first deputy head of the State Migration Service (SMS) Dina Pimakhova. After the arrest of their employee, NABU issued an official statement, accusing the prosecutor's office and the SBU of obstructing the investigation. Representatives of the department added that 7 bureau employees who were also working on this case stopped communicating. It later turned out that they were also detained by officers of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the SBU.

“Detentions and arrests of three more undercover detectives of the bureau, the head of the second detective unit, as well as the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are planned,” according to the NABU website.

Since April 2017, detectives from the anti-corruption department have been investigating corruption in the State Migration Service. According to NABU, department officials, in exchange for bribes, granted foreigners citizenship, issued residence permits, and even helped them quickly obtain a biometric passport.

NABU detective Sergei Boyarsky, working undercover, turned to Dina Pimakhova with a request to assist in obtaining a residence permit “for a foreign friend” and agreed to pay $30 thousand for the service. During the transfer of half of the agreed amount, he was detained by SBU officers in agreement with the GPU .

“In my deep conviction, employees of state law enforcement agencies do not have the right to propose to a government official to make a deliberately illegal decision and expect at the same time what amount he will name. This is a pure provocation,” said Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko.

In response, NABU published a video of Dina Pimakhova negotiating with undercover detectives. First, they ask Pimakhova for advice on what to do in this situation, after which the official herself names the amount that the “businessman from Iran” will have to pay to obtain a residence permit.

• Dina Pimakhova negotiates with undercover detectives

NABU regarded the detention of its detective as “deliberate sabotage, planned and implemented with the participation of the SBU and the GPU.”

“Since April of this year, a special undercover operation has been ongoing, but both the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office disrupted this operation with their arrest yesterday. The goal of the operation was to uncover a large criminal group and identify all participants in the scheme,” said NABU press secretary Daria Manzhura.

A few hours later, press secretary of the Ukrainian Security Service Elena Gitlyanskaya reported that the SBU was conducting searches at NABU: “Yes, searches took place at NABU. But I can’t say the details yet, since investigative actions are still ongoing,” she said in a commentary to Espresso.TV.

But her words were immediately refuted by both NABU and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Press Secretary of the Prosecutor General Larisa Sargan said that investigative actions were carried out, but not in the Bureau itself, but at the office of NABU agent Ekaterina Sikorskaya. She is also involved in the case of offering a bribe to a migration service official. At the same time, Sargan did not talk about the details of the investigative actions, saying that over time this information will appear on the GPU website.

After these events, the head of NABU Artem Sytnik went to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko. As a result, the security forces agreed that the prosecutor’s office would not detain Boyarsky and seven other detectives, but a case would still be filed against them. On Monday, December 4, according to Lutsenko, high-ranking officials of the Bureau will be summoned for questioning to the Prosecutor General's Office.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko criticized the participants in the conflict.

“There is so much noise, screams and feathers that sometimes it resembles some kind of Latin American carnival. It would seem even funny if it weren’t so sad,” the president said.

At the same time, he believes that intrigues only aggravate the problem of corruption in the country.

“Law enforcement agencies cannot be involved in political activities.<…>I, as president, am together with society. Healthy rivalry, civilized competition, fair competition are welcomed by both the president and society, but conflicts, quarrels, intrigues and enmity are absolutely unacceptable and benefit exclusively the common enemy - crime and corruption,” he concluded.

Escalation of the conflict

According to the head of the Kyiv branch of the Institute of CIS Countries, Denis Denisov, the searches and detentions of NABU employees are related to intraspecific showdowns in the security bloc.

“As we know, there has never been a separation of the security forces from the Ukrainian government or an attempt to be independent and unaccountable to the leaders of Ukraine,” Denis Denisov explained in an interview with RT. — The current situation is proof of this: when the GPU is controlled by Yuriy Lutsenko, the president’s protege, the SBU is controlled through Gritsak (SBU head Vasily Gritsak. — RT), the Ministry of Internal Affairs is a semi-autonomous structure due to the fact that its head is Arsen Avakov, one of the leaders of the Popular Front party.

According to the expert, NABU, whose activities are lobbied by Ukraine’s Western partners - the EU and the USA, does not fit into this chain.

“Why do Europe and the USA need this body? To use it against absolutely all representatives of the political elite of Ukraine, because, probably, there will not be a single deputy, minister or deputy minister who would be absolutely honest in his activities, without one or another corruption component,” Denisov explained.

In turn, an RT source in the presidential administration of Ukraine said that the unspoken conflict between departments intensified after the detention on October 31 by NABU officers of the son of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, Alexander Avakov, and two other people - former deputy head Ministry of Internal Affairs Sergei Chebotar and a representative of the company that produces Dneprovend backpacks, Vladimir Litvin.

“According to the investigation, in 2015, these persons were involved in the purchase of backpacks at the expense of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine at a price significantly higher than the market average. According to the preliminary investigation, the goods were not delivered on time and, moreover, did not meet the requirements established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, as a result of which the state suffered damage in the amount of over 14 million hryvnia ($520 thousand),” the NABU statement said.

According to the source, in this way the Bureau’s investigators violated the unspoken rule of Ukrainian politics: not to prosecute close relatives of high-ranking officials.

Moreover, in mid-November 2017, NABU opened criminal proceedings regarding illegal enrichment.

The investigation into one of the associates of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko became the next round in the development of the conflict between NABU and the Ukrainian security forces, which began with

• Alexander Avakov is the son of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov
• Reuters

“So far, the work of NABU can be controlled with the help of Ukrainian courts,” Ukrainian political scientist Andrei Demidenko told RT. - But the president has another one headache: The IMF is ready to provide the fifth tranche in the amount of $1.9 billion only after the creation of an independent anti-corruption court, and the document on its creation has not yet been signed by Poroshenko.” In addition, according to the political scientist, NABU demands that parliament grant it the right to wiretap high-ranking officials without court approval, but Rada deputies certainly oppose expanding the powers of the Bureau.

According to Denis Denisov, the creation of NABU was linked to a number of financial conditions, which Ukraine could not refuse.

“Now this structure is not under the control of the president or security forces, which is uncomfortable for the political elite,” Denisov explained. “And now they have a desire to get even.” The West needs control over the Ukrainian elite and dirt on it.”

The fact that the leadership of Ukraine in every possible way sabotages the desire of its partners to control its actions is noted even by deputies from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

“The society that protested four years ago and removed a totally corrupt president and his entourage finally received independent institutions to eradicate top-level corruption. But it did not receive support from the new president and the SBU and Prosecutor General’s Office controlled by him. Instead, there is an attempt to destroy at any cost. Even by disrupting operational development. The goal is still the same - before the start election campaign neutralize NABU so that it does not get in the way and does not interfere with the current elite maintaining their streams and positions,” wrote MP from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc Sergei Leshchenko on his Facebook page.

However, high-ranking officials came up with a way to strengthen control over the work of NABU. According to an RT source in the Popular Front party, according to the provisions of the law “On NABU”, the president, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada can send independent observers to the anti-corruption body. They will control the progress of the most high-profile investigations. “To introduce observers, a separate permission from the Verkhovna Rada is required. And it will be given,” the representative of the Popular Front emphasized.

But a war against NABU could lead to problems for Ukraine with its Western partners.

According to RT, the progress of the investigation into corruption in the State Migration Service is being closely monitored by the US Embassy in Ukraine, but its representatives have not yet made any statements on this matter.

“No one will give a cent to a country that rolls back reforms. Especially if these are reforms as part of the fight against corruption. And if the reluctance to raise gas prices and delaying this moment only freezes lending but preserves the program, then a successful attack on NABU will destroy this very program. And along with it, it will destroy the stability of the hryvnia. And the willingness of investors to buy any Ukrainian debts,” Sergei Fursa, a specialist at the investment company Dragon Capital, wrote on his Facebook page. “And just as 4 years ago the dispersal of students put an end to economic stability (which was already on its way out), becoming the stupidest decision of Yanukovych and his hangers-on, so today the attack on NABU leads to the abyss of those who attack. And at the same time the economy of Ukraine. Just like 4 years ago. And it’s a pity that very often both those who make decisions and the majority of citizens do not understand this.”

So, Latin American carnivals– this is a real riot of colors, these are tanned bodies, this is an extravaganza of color, sound and great mood. This is a real fantasy, resulting in colorful processions through the cities of various Latin American countries. One of the most popular Latin American carnivals In addition to, of course, the Brazilian one, we can also consider the carnival in Cuba.

Many people associate Cuba with a state where socialism rules public opinion, which means it does not allow social trends to develop and controls everything. This opinion can be considered contrary to everything that can be seen in Cuba. It is not for nothing that this state was once called the “Island of Freedom”. This phrase speaks not only of freedom from American domination, but also of freedom interpersonal relationships Cubans. The Cuban carnival, or more precisely, a series of Cuban carnivals, is a clear confirmation of this.

One of the most colorful carnivals is the action that takes place in the Cuban city of Santiago de Cuba. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans and tourists from other countries come here to see the stunning show of lights with their own eyes. In Santiago, anyone can take part in an enchanting procession through the streets of the city, and also taste real Cuban rum. This event takes place over the course of a whole week - in the middle of summer. Many people arrive in Cuban Santiago with children, who can delight them with the opportunity to ride on a small train absolutely free, as well as treat them to amazing cane ice cream.

Carnivals of Latin America– these are also incendiary events in Havana. Real positive energy emanates from the participants in this unique show. Cuban guitar, African motifs, beautiful female bodies moving in such fiery music and, of course, a sea of ​​beer and rum - all this is the Havana carnival.

In mid-January the palm Latin American carnivals goes to Argentina. Here in the city of Gualeguyachu a large-scale action begins, which is filled with positive emotions and joy. The population of the city these days increases several times due to tourists arriving here. By the way, it must be said that the carnival in Gualeguyachu is the longest on the planet. Even the famous Brazilian carnival is left behind. It’s no joke, the carnival on the Atlantic coast of Argentina lasts for two whole months. They say that during this time, every Argentine, from a baby to an old man, can visit Gualeguyacha and see this unforgettable show with his own eyes. For 60 days, samba, love and romance reign in this city. This carnival is called the “Carnival of the Country”, emphasizing its nationwide scale. The Atlantic extravaganza ends on the first Saturday of March, when real autumn begins in Argentina.

However, the inhabitants of the continent are not discouraged, as spring Mexico takes over the baton of Latin American carnivals. The Mazatlan carnival is considered the third most popular in the world and the second (after Brazil) in Latin America. Over the five days during which the show is held, more than 300 thousand spectators manage to visit it. This is the only carnival in the world where people choose not only a beautiful queen, but also a terrible king.

Also see:

Unusual holidays in Latin America

Residents of which continent prefer the most fun and longest holidays? Of course, these are the inhabitants of South and Central America! Latin American holidays are colorful events that celebrate both religious and social events.

The richest culture of Latin America

When it comes to the culture of Latin America, the first thing that comes to mind for residents of other continents are various Indian rituals, the Brazilian carnival, the Argentine rodeo and, of course, football, which can be called a real Latin American religion.