Rio De Janeiro Carnival 2013 takes over city

Baku, February 12 (AzerTAc). Rio de Janeiro`s carnival, arguably the least-inhibited street party in the world, begins with Rio`s mayor presenting King Momo, the carnival ruler, with the keys to the city. Carnival centers on the hard-fought competition between the city`s traditional samba schools and the competition for carnival king. Traditionally, candidates for king are expected to be tall and jovially fat, but health awareness is changing the picture. The incumbent and likely 2013 king, Milton Rodrigues Da Silva Júnior, is trying to lose weight for the competition – more safely that a predecessor with the same aim. In 1995, Reinaldo de Carvalho, King Momo for nine years, died trying to lose weight. Reportedly, 10 firefighters were needed to remove Carvalho`s body, which was placed in a specially built coffin and taken to lie in state at Rio de Janeiro`s Sambadrome stadium, where the Carnival parades take place. Former mayor Otavio Leite launched an anti-obesity campaign during his tenure, and one of its most famous targets was King Momo. Leite deemed the portly shape for the carnival figurehead too ample, and candidates for the elected honor were required to be no heavier than 286 pounds to qualify. Carnival draws some 2 million visitors.