SAO PAULO - The night before New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro, thousands of revelers clad in their bathing suits crowded onto the iconic Ipanema beach to ha
Brazil enjoys fun in the sun as COVID-19 deaths top 200,000
by Mauricio Savarese And Diane Jeantet, The Associated Press
Posted Jan 7, 2021 5:12 pm EDT
Last Updated Jan 7, 2021 at 5:14 pm EDT
SAO PAULO The night before New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro, thousands of revelers clad in their bathing suits crowded onto the iconic Ipanema beach to have some seaside drinks. It was one of many open-air parties occurring along Brazil’s vast coastline since the summer heat set in, and as the COVID-19 death toll climbed higher.
“It was so packed, you couldn’t set foot on the beach,” said a maintenance worker at a luxury apartment building across the street. “And it wasn’t just at night; the beach was packed during the day, too. And no one wears a mask!” he added, insisting on not being quoted by name out of worry the building’s owner would punish him for speaking to a reporter.