Brazil’s Lula announces welfare increases ahead of presidential election
Government says that increase represents an adjustment for inflation that has eaten away purchasing power since 2023.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government has announced a 15 percent increase in welfare benefits ahead of a closely watched presidential election in October.
The leftist president was joined by government ministers in the capital Brasilia on Thursday, where they announced that the “Bolsa Familia” poverty alleviation programme would increase minimum monthly benefits from 600 reais ($116) to 691 reais ($134) next month.
“This is a programme that has changed the lives of millions of Brazilians,” Lula said in a social media post, stating that the adjustment was meant to counter the impacts of inflation which has risen since 2023.
“Inflation since the [March] relaunch of the programme through August stands at 15.04 percent,” Moretti said.