Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva unveiled a 15% increase in Bolsa Família, the country’s primary cash-transfer program for economically disadvantaged families, alongside a commitment to distribute weight-loss medications at no cost through the public healthcare system. The monthly payment will rise from approximately £98 to £113, with implementation scheduled for 19 October. The announcement came two weeks before the first round of the presidential election on 4 October, in which Lula faces far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The adjustment stands to affect between 15% and 20% of voters in what analysts expect to be one of the closest presidential contests in Latin America’s most populous nation. Lula characterized the increase as an inflation adjustment designed to safeguard the purchasing power of vulnerable households rather than a politically timed benefit. The Bolsa Família program, established in 2003 during Lula’s initial presidency, currently serves approximately 50 million people, representing roughly 27 million voters. Eligibility extends to families with incomes of up to £32 per person.
Opponents have questioned the timing of the announcement, with Flávio Bolsonaro describing it as an “act of desperation” and accusing Lula of attempting to “buy the votes of the poor.” The controversy draws comparisons to 2022, when then-President Jair Bolsonaro announced a 50% increase in Bolsa Família benefits before his reelection bid. However, analysts and journalists have noted distinctions between the two cases: Lula’s increase addresses a four-year inflation gap with permanent implementation, whereas Bolsonaro’s temporary measures carried expiration dates and substantially larger budgetary implications.
Electoral law experts maintain that inflation adjustments are not inherently prohibited under Brazilian law. Nonetheless, another far-right candidate, influencer Renan Santos, filed a legal challenge with the electoral court seeking to suspend the increase. Some observers acknowledge that while Lula’s intentions appear electorally motivated, similar actions from incumbents during reelection campaigns are widely anticipated when legal mechanisms permit such measures.
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