The first lady Janja Lula Silva accepted the invitation of the samba school Imperatriz Leopoldinense and will be the godmother of the old guard of the association of Ramos, in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro. Janja’s meeting with members of the Empress took place this Friday (3), at the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center (CCBB), in the center of Rio de Janeiro’s capital.
“From now on, we will be closer to understanding the institution’s demands and helping to promote social and cultural activities. We will resume projects for these peripheral regions, and the samba schools are fundamental in this process”, said Janja.
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Janja’s presence at Sapucaí in the early hours of Carnival Monday, February 20, when the Empress makes her parade, depends on the official agenda and the commitments of the first lady previously signed. But Janja said that she intends to be, before Carnival, in one of the Imperatriz rehearsals and in Cidade do Samba, in downtown Rio.
The Empress’ entourage included Solange Costa (president of the Velha-Guarda), Rafaela Theodoro (flag bearer), Phelipe Lemos (master of ceremonies), Lolo (drums master), Pitty de Menezes (performer), André Bonatte (Director de Carnaval) and Pedro Leite (carnival coordinator).
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During the meeting, which was also attended by the Minister of Women, Cida Gonçalves, and the president of the Workers’ Party of Rio de Janeiro, Tiago Santana, Janja and school representatives spoke about the Imperatriz Social project, which promotes initiatives aimed at Complexo do Alemão community.
The meeting had representatives from the Ramos school, the federal government and the Workers’ Party / Nelson Malfacini/Disclosure
The school’s invitation came after the youtuber and former actress Antonia Fontenelle criticizing Janja’s outfit, during Lula’s inauguration, on social media, and claiming that it looked like the Empress’s old guard costume. After the episode, the school management, which asked for Fontenelle’s disqualification of Rio de Janeiro carnival activities, invited Janja.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Eduardo Miranda
