Which Rio Carnival samba school won the 1989 Special Group title with the theme “Liberdade! Liberdade! Abra as asas sobre nós”?

Imperatriz Leopoldinense won Rio de Janeiro’s 1989 Special Group Carnival title with “Liberdade! Liberdade! Abra as asas sobre nós.”

The parade explored Brazil’s republican history and used the imagery of liberty as its central theme. Its title echoed the Brazilian national anthem’s famous phrase about freedom, making the presentation especially memorable.

Imperatriz Leopoldinense is based in the Ramos area of Rio’s North Zone. The school was founded in 1959 and takes its name from the neighborhood and the railway line associated with the Leopoldina region. It became particularly known for technically controlled, historically focused parades.

The 1989 result is sometimes confused with later championship-winning parades by Imperatriz, including its victories in the 1990s. In Rio Carnival, the winning school is determined by judges’ scores across several official categories, rather than by one performance alone.