Generals of Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) government received up to R$350,000 (US$ 75.000) more within the year after an ordinance signed by the president allowed the accumulation of salaries and pensions above the constitutional ceiling. The measure was edited in April last year when the government froze civil service salaries. It benefited Bolsonaro himself, Vice President Hamilton Mourão (Republicans), military ministers, and a restricted group of about a thousand federal servants. The biggest increase went to General Luiz Eduardo Ramos, Minister of the General Secretariat, who was entitled to R$874,000 (US$ 187,000) in the 12 months since the ordinance was published. If the salary cap had been applied, there would have been R$350,700 less on his paycheck.
The measure adopted by Bolsonaro has led to military personnel who occupy positions in the first level of the government earning more than R$ 39,300 (US$ 8,350), which is the salary of a minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) and the ceiling for civil servants.
The Constitution defines that remuneration for public office, pensions, and other advantages cannot exceed the salary of STF ministers. The Bolsonaro government ordinance, however, created a double ceiling.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon