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Brazil's Lula gets image boost at Rio Carnival, but also faces legal risks
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, attends the Academicos de Niteroi samba school parade in his honor with first lady Rosangela da Silva at the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. - photo by AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome hosted a glitzy parade Sunday evening celebrating Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a year he bids for his fourth inconsecutive term. However, his adversaries are crying foul and seeking legal action against the 80-year-old leader and the samba school, alleging the tribute kicked off his campaign six months in advance. The parade by top samba school Academicos de Niteroi centered on Lula's trajectory from a childhood of poverty in Brazil’s northeast region to his current standing as one of Latin America’s most prominent leaders.