While the coronavirus advances in Brazil, Bolsonaro and Congress find themselves at an impasse over how to divvy up R$30.8 billion in the government budget.
Under the impasse, the vote in plenary to define the division of these resources was for the next week after the demonstrations scheduled for Sunday (15) in defense of Bolsonaro.
This Wednesday, the WHO (World Health Organization) declared the coronavirus a pandemic. With this development, the government can justify reviewing the agreement. Congress was expected to control R $ 15 billion of the R$ 30.8 billion (US$ 7.1 billion).
Parliamentarians agreed to allocate about R$ 5 billion of the amendments by the rapporteur, Deputy Domingos Neto (PSD-CE), to fight the disease. Still, they wanted to keep at least R$ 10 billion in their power.
Amid the negotiations, the Bolsonaro government suffered a significant defeat in the Legislative. Center party leaders had asked their comrades to maintain Bolsonaro's veto of BPC (benefit granted to needy and disabled elderly people). But the effort failed. Congress overthrew Bolsonaro's veto, and the government estimates an increase of R$ 20 billion in expenses per year.
This defeat for Bolsonaro's government put into limbo the discussion for the division of the budget.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon