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A tribute to Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has marked the first day of the iconic carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro.

The samba school Acadêmicos de Nitéroi traced Lula’s life as a boy growing up in poverty in the Brazilian northeast, to a metalworker, union leader and then president, showcasing giant figures to honour the president.

The parade drawn criticism from the opposition because Brazil’s next general election, which will also elect the country’s president, will take place in October. Critics argue the tribute can be seen as early electioneering and a possible violation of campaign rules ahead of the election.

Rio’s carnival parades take place over three days, featuring four top samba schools each day.

During the Chávez presidency, Venezuela reclassified its reserves. Previously, there were thought to be just 80 billion barrels of extractable oil, but by 2011, its reported figure had nearly quadrupled. That statistical change was made possible by high oil prices at the time, which allowed previously unviable projects to look feasible.