2016 Rio Carnival - Mangueira's Samba Wins Rio Carnival

 

One of Rio de Janeiro's most traditional samba schools, Mangueira, has won this year's Carnival.

The samba school wins points for the enthusiasm, performance and verve of its performers 

It was the school's 18th title, won with the help of some 4,300 participants in the sumptuous parade.

Fans of the samba school, which is rooted in Rio's Mangueira favela, screamed with joy as the results were read out.

In an indication of how high the stakes are in the carnival championship, the results came in an armoured car.

For its winning parade, Mangueira paid homage to Maria Bethania, one of Brazil's most loved performer of MPB - Brazilian pop music  

Mangueira's carnival explored Maria Bethania's roots in Bahia, the state in Brazil with the strongest African cultural influence derived from the days of slavery