Expenses to hire national artists for the Foz Carnival generate controversy

Local artists and sectors of the population are criticizing the costs of producing this year's Foz do Iguaçu Carnival. The questions are mainly directed at the hiring of two groups: Turma do Pagode and the country singers Pedro Paulo & Alex.

Both contracts are made with non-enforceability, a condition in which bidding is waived for the acquisition of materials, equipment or services that can only be offered by a producer or company. The amount paid to the Turma do Pagode group is R$400, and to the country music duo, R$210.

The city government says that non-requirement is one of the modalities established by law, and that hiring artistic attractions in this way is routine.

The criticism reached the Municipal Council for Cultural Policies (CMPC) and also came from readers of H2FOZ.

President of CMPC, Mirá Rocha says that the organization received the complaints by e-mail and telephone. “The class was quite intrigued by the high value.”

The councilors met to discuss the matter, and it was decided that a document would be sent to the Cultural Foundation, responsible for the event, with issues that would be relevant for future carnivals in the city.

For the Municipal Council of Cultural Policies, the shows of carnival are important, but it is also essential that the population has access to attractions with free transportation available, as well as encouraging carnival in neighborhoods, making the economy generated by the event circulate throughout the city.

“The council has been fighting for the promotion of culture for a long time and the appreciation of the artistic class,” says Mirá. She emphasizes that during Carnival, local artists need to receive “special attention.”

Values ​​are not limited to fees, says Cultural Foundation

CEO of the Cultural Foundation, Dalmont Benites, states that the amounts paid to artists are complete, that is, in the modality Show assembled, which includes fee, airfare, food, accommodation, dressing rooms, transportation and porters.

According to him, the hiring is done directly, without intermediaries, and he sought to compare amounts paid to the same artists in other cities. In São Luiz do Maranhão, for example, a performance by Turma do Pagode, in November 2024, cost R$550 thousand, he emphasizes.

Benites also says that 35 attractions in the carnival program will be local artists. As for the fee paid to artists from Foz, which has also been questioned, the amount refers to the calls for proposals previously launched, in the previous administration.

Country music in the middle of Carnival

The CEO also mentions that the decision to hire pagode and sertanejo artists for the carnival was made after a survey was conducted with the population. To this end, a public consultation was carried out in neighborhoods and residents' associations through conversations, emails and WhatsApp. “More than 50% of the population preferred country music.”

The country singers will perform on the last day of the festival. According to Benites, the carnival will have four days of samba, axé and marchinhas with local artists.

The idea is to make a Show festive country music, in the complex of major events, which includes the Getúlio Vargas and Paz squares, the Calçadão da Rio Branco and Juscelino Kubistchek Avenue. For the presentations, two stages will be set up: one in JK, called 14 Bis, and another called Relógio de Pulso.

The character honored this year during Carnival will be Santos Dumont.