Cars drive in reverse to honor COVID-19 victims
Some 250 vehicles joined the event as they drove in reverse along the nearly one mile stretch to the cemetery. Participants dressed in white lab coats, face shields and masks guided the cars on their funeral journey, which began and ended with hearses.
Organizers explained that the idea behind the event was to use the language of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro - such as, they said, caravans against social distancing and the national anthem - but in reverse.
"It is a triumphal march, a funeral march, a march of mourning that ends with the national anthem in reverse," processions organizer Nuno Ramos said.
Participant Fernanda Ribeiro said the event was a protest about the state the country is currently in.
"We have been walking in reverse for a few years now, it is not new, but now things have only gotten worse since the election of the new Brazilian president."
Another participant, Bianca de Cassia, said the experience made her feel 'tense'.
"As a driver, I was tense because I was in reverse and had the sound pulsing inside the car and I was taking in all the other information from the procession, and when I arrived at the cemetery, it was very crazy."
When the vehicles arrived at the city's cemetery, a trumpeter played the national anthem in front of an image of a COVID-19 victim. Also, a charcoal drawing done by the late Brazilian modernist artist Flavio de Carvalho of his mother as she died from cancer was displayed at the cemetery.
Brazil currently is reporting 96,096 COVID-19 deaths and is expected to reach 100,000 deaths in the coming days.
