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Following a statement by Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, several websites have prompted speculation about the possible conclusion of Bolsa Família.
Bolsa Família, established in 2003, is approaching its twentieth year of operation. Thus, the idea of its termination has generated much public discussion.
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For a deeper understanding of the reason for such concern, it is crucial to understand the context of the video widely disseminated on online platforms.
The video highlights part of the vice president's speech, in which he refers to the probable end of Bolsa Família.
See this excerpt below:
“Agreement regarding Bolsa Família and children is unanimous, and the other points are donations; this does not affect the fiscal side. In the budgetary context, which is limited, it is extra income, which may not even materialize, but, if it does, part of it may be allocated to investments. We presented a proposal with no defined deadline, based on a principle, which is the end of Bolsa Família.”
Read also: Bank proposes changes to Bolsa Família payments; concerns arise.
Naturally, this fact will cause many to worry. Bolsa Família is crucial for reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion, offering financial assistance to vulnerable families.
But rest assured! We have structured this reading to clarify this question that has been raised among so many beneficiaries. So, explore the information in the text.
Resurgence of the income program
In 2021, during former president Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, the Bolsa Família social program was officially replaced by Auxílio Brasil.
However, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s return to the presidency, the program resumed its original name.
Since then, several important changes have been made to the program. The minimum benefit increased from R$ 400 to R$ 600, aiming to provide more robust support to economically vulnerable families.
A new bonus policy was also introduced in Bolsa Família, granting extra benefits to dependents of assisted families.
Therefore, children up to 6 years old began receiving an additional R$ 150. Teenagers up to 18 years old and pregnant women receive an extra R$ 50.
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A relevant change made this year is the requirement that each family member assisted by the project receive at least R$ 142 to ensure their survival.
It is important to highlight that, if the total of these amounts does not reach the established base amount, an additional amount will be added to ensure a minimum of R$ 600.
Therefore, recent speculation about the possible discontinuation of Bolsa Família has left many surprised, considering that these actions aim to strengthen assistance for the most vulnerable families.
Will Bolsa Família really be ended?
Finally, in response to the spread of the aforementioned video, the Lula government clarified that there are no plans to end Bolsa Família. It is vital to emphasize that the video is real, but requires broader context to be interpreted correctly.
Read also: Is it possible to recover Bolsa Família after a previous cancellation?
Thus, in fact, Geraldo Alckmin was not suggesting the elimination of the Benefit, but discussing the prospect of keeping it outside the budgetary limitations imposed by the spending cap.
Alckmin spoke in November 2022, during debates on the 2023 Budget and the Proposed Constitutional Amendment (PEC) of Transition.
At that moment, the government was looking for ways to finance the establishment of the new government and ensure the program's continued assistance to families in need.
Therefore, Alckmin's main objective was to affirm that the Benefit would not be affected by budgetary limits, thus allowing its expansion and continued assistance to beneficiaries.
In summary, there are no signs of the government planning to end the Benefit.
On the contrary, current data indicate that the program is expanding, as seen in early September, with the addition of 550,000 new families receiving assistance.
