Carnival Paulo Barros, 63, published a video with a series of records of his passage through Portela between 2016 and 2017 and, with that, made his followers consider that the Eagle of Madureira, a neighborhood of the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, could be its new destination.
“If one day,” wrote the plastic artist in the caption of the publication by referring to the classic samba “It was a river that passed in my life”, by Paulinho da Viola.
“It soon makes a 10-year contract”, “I think comes news around” and “I can’t stand your absence anymore. I’ve asked God patience” are some of the comments made by the professional’s followers in Tuesday’s post.
After two parades contested in the United States of Vila Isabel, the four -time champion of Rio de Janeiro follows no samba school for the carnival of 2026. In 2024, he reissued “Gbala – Travel to the time of creation”, whose original plot was authored by Martinho da Vila, and won only a sixth place. This year, the Noel Rosa neighborhood school ended the eighth place, after bringing a warm parade with the plot “The more I pray, the more haunting it appears!”.
In the announcement of the 2026 plot, the patron of Vila Isabel said: “The train deracted with me on the avenue. I promise to rescue the failure I had towards the locomotive. Let’s go to the title,” in reference to the last parade of the school. The association brought Leonardo Bora and Gabriel Haddad, who were in Greater Rio, to the post of Paulo Barros.
With the last two years, Paulo Barros completes a fast of eight years without titles, the longest of his career. His last triumph was precisely in Portela in 2017, leading to blue and white to a victory that has not come since 1984. Since then, he won only a runner-up in 2019 with Viradouro and a third place in 2023 with Vila Isabel. The other results include two ninth places (Vila Isabel 2018 and Tijuca 2020) and a 11th place (Tuiuti Paradise 2022).
This year’s pre-carnival was also marked by a controversial speech in which Paulo Barros criticized the Afro plots saying that “90% of those who are watching the parade will not understand anything.” Vila Isabel, coincidentally, was one of the few associations not to bring a narrative whose theme embraced the Afro-Brazilian culture and saw the hummingbird raise the cup with an Afro plot in honor of Laíla, one of the biggest names in its history.
The Golden Band, the main award of the carioca carnival delivered five decades ago by the newspaper O Globo, also awarded an Afro plot by electing “omi tutu to the Olúfon – fresh water to the IFón Lord”, by Empress Leopoldinense, as the best plot of 2025.
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Election in Portela
On social networks, Portelenses speculate that the movement may be linked to the election of Portela, which will take place on Sunday (25) and will elect the group that will lead the largest champion of Rio Carnival for the next four years. They believe that the plate led by Dr. Léo can seek a new carnival for the association and Paulo Barros is the only one of the big names that still have no job for 2025. Dr. Leo will face the plate of Junior Escafura, who is vice president of Portela and grandson of bicheiro Piruinha.
Almost all samba schools: announcing their plots and celebrating the honors
Portela: Brandy internal dispute for the winning plate, while Paulo Barros gives signs that he can return
Difficult, you know… ..
– Isabella (@bellammor) May 20, 2025
Paulo Barros made a dark carnival with Vila Isabel Dai to Portela with jealous and dissatisfied with the circus itself.
– Titi (@jaempinkhair) May 20, 2025
They talk very badly about Paulo Barros today, but the guy has revolutionized the carnival of a while now. And it was with him that Portela had its last title https://t.co/wad2lkfjpu
– João Vitor Barcellos (@joaovitorbarc18) May 20, 2025
Portela, however, has already announced its carnival to 2026. André Rodrigues, who has been at school since 2024, had its contract renewed by the Madureira association. In the first two years, the artist worked alongside Antonio Gonzaga and, in 2026, will sign his first carnival alone in the special group of Rio de Janeiro, after his former duple migrated to Greater Rio.
“With the endorsement of our Baluartes, the Voice of Portelense echoed and the answer has come: we already have carnival for the carnival of 2026! We follow firm with a new chapter about to be written,” wrote Portela in the caption of a video that brings together her main balduartes, such as Aunt Surica, president of school.
It was with Antonio and André that Portela returned twice in the champions’ parade after bittering a 10th place in the year he celebrated his centenary. In 2024, even, the carnival duo won the Golden Banner for Best Plot with “a color defect”, which featured the plot research by Beatriz Chaves and Marcelo David Macedo.
In 2026, Portela will be the third school to cross the Marquês de Sapucaí sambadrome on Carnival Sunday (February 15). Check here the full order of next year’s Special Group parades.
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This content was originally published in without a school after criticizing Plots Afro, Paulo Barros is considered in Portela on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
