epa12745325 A member of the Portela samba school parades during the first day of the 2026 Rio Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 16 February 2026. EPA/Antonio Lacerda

epa12745312 A member of the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parades during the first day of the 2026 Rio Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15 February 2026. EPA/Antonio Lacerda

epa12745308 A member of the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school parades during the first day of the 2026 Rio Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15 February 2026. EPA/Antonio Lacerda

epa12745237 People dressed as the Pepino character take part in a parade during the La Paz Carnival in La Paz, Bolivia, 15 February 2026. The Pepino Parade features hundreds of participants portraying this iconic carnival figure, a staple of celebrations in Bolivia. EPA/GABRIEL MARQUEZ