Brazil rang in the New Year with Rio de Janeiro's famed Copacabana beach nearly empty -- the usual swarms of revelers kept away by police because of the pandemic -- and pot-banging protests against far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil rings in 2021 with nearly empty Copacabana beach

A dozen of worshippers gathered on Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana Beach on Tuesday (December 29) to pay tribute to Yemanja, the Afro-Brazilian queen of the sea.

Faithful pay tribute to Brazil’s sea goddess, Yemanja

Brazil's tourist hotspot Copacabana beach turns into graveyard overnight as activists angry at Brazil's response to COVID-19. These activists have created 100 graves on the beach to remember those more than 40,000 people who have died.

Brazil's tourist hotspot Copacabana beach turns into graveyard overnight

Rousseff is facing an impeachment trial for allegedly breaking budgetary laws, by borrowing billions from state banks to cover budget gaps

Rio beach protest calls for ouster of suspended president Dilma Rousseff

Statement comes as street crime are on the rise and police protest budget cuts that leave them without funding for toiler paper

Brazil has 'total confidence' in Olympics security