Key facts
- Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced a 15% increase to the Bolsa Família cash-transfer program.
- The monthly payment will rise from approximately £98 to £113, effective October 19.
- The increase is expected to benefit 15% to 20% of voters.
- Lula stated the increase is an inflation adjustment to protect vulnerable families.
- Opponents, including Flávio Bolsonaro, criticized the timing as electorally motivated.
- Free weight-loss injections will be offered through the public health system.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a significant increase to the country's primary cash-transfer program for low-income families, along with the provision of free weight-loss injections, just weeks before the presidential election. The moves have drawn criticism from opponents who allege they are politically motivated attempts to secure votes.
The Bolsa Família program, a cornerstone of Lula's previous presidential terms, will see its monthly payment rise by 15%, from approximately £98 to £113. This adjustment is scheduled to take effect on October 19, shortly before a potential runoff vote on October 25. Lula defended the increase as an inflation adjustment necessary to protect the purchasing power of vulnerable families, a claim contested by his rivals.
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, characterized the announcement as an "act of desperation" and an effort to "buy the votes of the poor," citing recent polls showing him gaining ground against Lula. The Bolsa Família program, originally established in 2003, currently covers about 50 million people, with eligibility for families earning up to £32 per person. Jair Bolsonaro had also increased the program's benefits before the 2022 election, a move that led to accusations of electoral abuse of power.
Journalist Miriam Leitão noted that while both Lula and Bolsonaro made adjustments for electoral reasons, Lula's increase is limited to compensating for inflation over the past four years and is permanent, unlike Bolsonaro's temporary increase. Researcher Victor Escobar agreed that Lula's intentions were electoral but stated that such actions are expected from an incumbent seeking re-election, provided they comply with the law. Escobar also commented that Bolsonaro's previous "kamikaze" package of benefits was more fiscally irresponsible.
Electoral law experts have indicated that inflation adjustments are not inherently prohibited, but a separate case has been filed with the electoral court by far-right candidate Renan Santos to suspend the increase until after the election. Flávio Bolsonaro has reportedly refrained from taking similar legal action due to concerns about alienating voters who benefit from the program.