Brazil's Lula announces 15% welfare boost ahead of election
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree on Thursday increasing benefits of his flagship welfare program by 15 percent, weeks before the first round of the presidential elections. The minimum monthly benefit per family of Bolsa Familia (Family Grant) will rise to 691 reais ($134) next month, from 600 reais. The decree says that it adjusts payments for…
In the weeks leading up to the first round of Brazil's presidential elections, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a 15% boost to his welfare program, Bolsa Família. The minimum monthly benefit for families will increase from 600 reais to 691 reais next month, aiming to counteract inflation that has accumulated since March 2023.
This adjustment is designed to enhance the purchasing power of voters, a crucial factor as they decide whether to re-elect Lula for a fourth nonconsecutive term or elect his opponent, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, a son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, in a potential run-off vote. Recent polls indicate a tight race between the two candidates.
Lula's finance minister, Dario Durigan, emphasized that the additional spending will be covered within existing budget allocations, without adding to the country's expenditure.
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Also reported by 3 other outlets
- Brazil's Lula announces 15% welfare boost ahead of election koreatimes.co.kr
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- Brazil’s Lula announces welfare increases ahead of presidential election aljazeera.com
