Bolsonaro sanctions permanent BRL 400 monthly allowance

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned the provisional measure turning allowance Auxílio Brasil (“Brazil Aid”) into a permanent monthly payment of BRL 400. The move was made official today (May 19). The government’s original bill stipulated the amount would be valid only until December 2022. Congress, however, decided to fix the value, and the piece of legislation subsequently approved by the Senate on May 4 made its BRL 400 floor permanent following a complement to the previous BRL 224 voucher.

The Auxílio Brasil is the social program created by the government to replace the Bolsa Família (“Family Allowance”), created in 2003. 

The government is reported to spend approximately BRL 47.5 billion a year on the regular bulk of the Auxílio Brasil. Following the increase, the government is estimated to pay an extra BRL 41 billion each year.

“The presidential sanction is important to make the Auxílio Brasil program effective, as it becomes permanent for society, mitigating the financial bottleneck for those who need it the most,” the ministry stated.