THE TELEGRAPH: The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has been accused of ruining the atmosphere of the city's famous carnival with a "zero tolerance" approach towards drinking, prostitution and debauched behaviour.
Eduardo Paes wants to end the Brazilian city's general lawlessness with a campaign he calls "Shock of Order" based on the police tactics that brought spiralling crime under control in New York in the 1990s.
But as this year's Rio carnival, billed as the "world's biggest party," gets under way, the youthful Mr Paes, 40, is being denounced by some as a killjoy.
Under his tough measures those who drink too much beer at giant carnival street parties and use gutters as lavatories face a night in a prison cell.
Nearly 100 people have already been arrested ahead of the carnival for an indiscretion always tolerated in the past.
To keep beaches pristine the mayor has also outlawed traditional skewered carnival foods like fried shrimp and grilled cheese sticks.
Beach football, a near religion in Brazil, is banned until 5pm and Rio's infamous waterfront pickup club for legal prostitutes on Copacabana beach has been closed to make way for a museum.
Mr Paes also recently told Cariocas, as Rio residents are known, to stop being such "pigs" by leaving piles of rubbish on the beach.
Part of the motivation for the carnival clean-up is Brazil's effort to shine when it hosts the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic games. >>> Nick Allen | Friday, February 12, 2010
