Brazil Readies Carnival With Bank Closures, Storm Alerts and Tighter São Paulo Security

Overview

• Banks will not offer in‑person service on Feb 16–17 and resume at noon on Feb 18 (Brasília time), with traditional clearing paused while Pix, ATMs and apps operate 24/7.
• Meteorologists attribute the recent deluges to the South Atlantic Convergence Zone, with Cemaden reporting São Paulo received about 90% of February’s expected rain in the first ten days.
• São Paulo’s plan adds 5,200 police officers daily, keeps bag checks at major circuits, opens new escape routes near Ibirapuera and deploys medical posts inside megablock routes.
• Cantagalo (RJ) postponed its municipal carnival to April after severe rains, declaring a level‑2 emergency with about 3,135 people affected and 70 displaced as state aid arrives.
• Cities publish operational plans: Fortaleza details seven official event hubs, Campo Grande announces road closures and detours, João Pessoa mobilizes 140 GCM agents with drones, and Guarujá schedules more than 20 street blocs through Feb 22, while Amapá forecasts up to 200 mm of rain and reports flooding in Macapá.