Brazilian National Congress overruled President Jair Bolsonaro's veto of the Continued Assistance Benefit (BPC), a legal provision that ensures social benefits.
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The BPC is a plan that covers the less solvent, those affected by a disability and those over 65. The financial assistance to the needy is equivalent to a minimum wage and mostly supports women in situations of poverty.
The Bolsonaro administration refused to grant an increase in the minimum income to these people. The amount requested is equivalent to 1/4 of the basic income and would mean a total payment of $106.5 for pensioners.
Also, they refused to modify the required age of beneficiated ones in half. Bolsonaro’s aligned functionaries argument that the assisted increase would be an unjustified expense that incurs in Fiscal Responsibility Law’, not compliance.
According to Ivan Valente, Party of Socialism and Freedom deputy for Rio de Janeiro, the congressional action was very important “because the Bolsonaro government has a policy of attacking the poor. It hates the poor.”
Congressman Petrus Ananias also affirmed that Bolsonaro’s main reason for the veto is not the lack of money, but the lack of priorities. Bolsonaro would rather benefit banks over common people.
Other functionaries criticized the right-wing administration’s restrictions, pointing that last year Bolsonaro´s government spent more than 2 million dollars in herbicides and agro toxic products.
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