Portela is the Rio Carnival samba school traditionally associated with a blue-and-white flag and the eagle symbol.
Founded in 1923, Portela is one of Rio de Janeiro’s oldest and most successful samba schools. It is based in the Oswaldo Cruz area and has long used blue and white as its principal colors. The eagle became its best-known emblem and appears in its visual identity and parade traditions.
Portela’s history is closely connected with major samba composers and the development of Rio’s competitive parade culture. Its long record of championships made it one of the most recognized names in Brazilian Carnival.
A frequent source of confusion is the existence of other blue-and-white samba organizations and the fact that parade symbols can appear on costumes, floats, flags, and official logos in different ways. The eagle, however, is the emblem most specifically identified with Portela.