Bolsonaro could extend emergency unemployment payments amid pandemic
The president of Brazil, Jair BolsonaroIt said on Wednesday it could extend emergency payments for the unemployed until the end of the year, but they will be lower than the current 600 reais (US $ 108) a month.
The latest official figures on unemployment show that a total of 8.9 million people lost their jobs when the pandemic in coronavirus it swept Brazil, representing the sharpest contraction ever recorded in the country.
Brazil’s unemployment rate increased to 13.3% for the quarter ending in June.
Bolsonaro said continuing with 600 reais a month is not an option because it would sink Brazil into debt, damaging the country’s fiscal credibility.
“This is not the people’s money, this is indebtedness, and if the country becomes over-indebted, it ends up losing credibility,” Bolsonaro said.
Brazil’s economy ministry has talked about reducing the amount to 200 reais ($ 36) a month, Bolsonaro said, but the president said he believes the amount is too low and suggested that an agreement be reached somewhere in between.
“It is possible to reach a middle ground and we will seek to extend it for a few more months, perhaps until the end of the year,” Bolsonaro said.
Meanwhile, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said the economy is recovering in the form of the Nike logo.
“All indicators show that the drop was sudden, sharp and strong, but Brazil is making a comeback,” he said.
On Wednesday, Brazil confirmed 49,298 new cases of covid-19 and 1,212 deaths in 24 hours. At least 111,100 people have died in Brazil from coronavirus and the total number of confirmed cases now stands at 3,456,652, according to the Ministry of Health.
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