Santa Claus delivers Christmas cheer in Brazil's City of God slum

Kids hug a man dressed as Santa Claus as he distributes donated gifts to children during a Christmas party in Cidade de Deus slum, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, December 20, 2021. Picture taken December 20, 2021. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Santa Claus strode into the Brazil's City of God favela this week, delivering much-needed Christmas cheer to some of Rio de Janeiro's poorest children.

Dressed in an unseasonably warm red suit and jacket, with an artificial white beard strapped to his chin, Santa Claus was mobbed as he handed out toys and food to kids whose community has been hit hard by a bruising coronavirus pandemic, galloping inflation, few jobs and years of gang violence.