Brazil May Disburse R$1 Billion for Military Intervention in Rio

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The federal government in Brazil agreed to disburse extra funds for security agents in Rio de Janeiro during the military intervention in the state’s public security system, according to President Temer’s press team.

The financing of the intervention had been one of the issues worrying the military leadership as well as the state’s police chiefs.

“We will have an extra funds for Rio de Janeiro,” said Minister of Planning Dyogo Oliveira to reporters on Sunday night after leaving a meeting with President Michel Temer and other ministers to discuss the intervention.

According to Globo’s G1 news site the federal government plans allocate more one billion reais to the military security efforts in Rio.

“It is around R$1 billion, but it is too early to release value amounts,” said Oliveira adding that a legislative decree issued by the President for additional funding for the intervention will need the approval of Brazil’s Congress.

“We will also give resources to the (new) Ministry of Public Security to implement its policies in (other) states and the (entire national) public security system,” concluded Oliveira. According to the Minister the money will be taken out of other federal sectors, but could not specify which sectors would be affected by the cuts.

Federal funds to finance the troops coming into Rio de Janeiro and military activities related to the intervention has been one of the main issues discussed by both Armed Forces officials and government representatives.

According to the Armed Forces a large amount of resources will be needed to maintain troops in and an entire military apparatus in the state.

At the beginning of March Brazil’s Development Bank (BNDES) announced it had approved the provision of R$42 billion to be disbursed to states and municipalities for investments in public security.