World
André Mendonça Rejected a Filing Against the Bolsa Família Increase
Deputy Zé Trovão had asked the TSE to halt the adjustment announced by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. According to O Globo, the minister dismissed the action for lack of standing by the filer, without ruling on the merits.
Federal Deputy Zé Trovão, of the PL from Santa Catarina, filed an action before Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court against the Bolsa Família update announced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The case was assigned to Minister André Mendonça, who was drawn as rapporteur.
According to G1 Globo, the lawmaker requested an injunction to suspend the adjustment until the case was resolved or until the end of the electoral process. He also asked that, at the time of the ruling, a serious violation be recognized, a fine be imposed, and action be taken against the president’s candidacy registration or diploma in the event of reelection.
According to O Globo, Mendonça rejected the filing on the grounds that a federal deputy candidate does not have standing to bring an action against a presidential candidate, since they compete in different constituencies. The same outlet noted that the minister clarified that this decision does not imply any ruling on the legality of the adjustment or on any possible violation of electoral rules.
The update raises the program’s floor from R$ 600 to R$ 691, with payments starting on October 19, between the first and a possible second round of the presidential election. O Globo specified that the increase announced by the government is 15.04%.
According to G1 Globo, the Planning Ministry estimated a cost of R$ 5.8 billion this year and an impact of R$ 22.7 billion in 2027. That outlet also indicated that in August the government sent the Legislative Branch a 2027 budget proposal without including an increase in the program’s amounts.
The official defense maintains that this is not a real increase. Both G1 Globo and O Globo reported that the Finance Ministry said the measure only makes up for inflationary losses accumulated in recent years. G1 Globo added that the Attorney General’s Office of the Union said the law that created the new Bolsa Família in 2023 authorizes the Executive Branch to adjust the amounts and prohibits their reduction, and that the inflation adjustment, without expanding the universe of beneficiaries, falls outside electoral prohibitions.
According to G1 Globo, prosecutor Lucas Furtado, from the Public Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Federal Court of Accounts, also asked for the adjustment to be suspended and argued that the Fiscal Responsibility Law requires an estimate of the budgetary impact and consistency with the budget law guidelines.
O Globo added that Flávio Bolsonaro distanced himself from Zé Trovão’s legal filing and said he did not authorize it and does not agree with that decision, although he maintained his criticism of the adjustment announced by the government.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
