Brazil’s Defense, Citizenship, Communications and Education Ministry Budgets Increase

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Ministries of Communications, Defense, Citizenship and Education will have a boost in their budget in 2021, according to the proposal forwarded on Monday, August 31st, by President Jair Bolsonaro to the National Congress.

The Infrastructure and Regional Development portfolios will see a drop in total spending, although their discretionary spending is expected to rise next year. The Ministry of Environment will also have a budget cut, as will Health.

The Ministry of Defense will have R$1.5 billion more than the approved 2020 Budget. The portfolio’s expenses should total R$116,127 billion next year.

In Communications, a portfolio recreated this year by Bolsonaro, the expenditure projected for 2021 amounts to R$4.053 billion – R$2.681 billion more than the amount authorized this year.

For Education, the total expenditure will amount to R$144.538 billion, against R$142.107 billion planned for this year.

The Ministry of Regional Development will have its total expenditure cut, from R$33.217 billion planned in 2020 to R$24.171 billion next year. However, discretionary expenses, which includes investments, increased from R$4.409 billion to R$6.250 billion.

Regional Development Minister Rogério Marinho is one of the main proponents of the Pro-Brazil Plan for public investments, under the argument of boosting the economic rebound in the post-Pandemic period.

The same trend is observed in infrastructure, which had a reduction in total spending from R$28.44 billion in 2020 to R$24.660 billion in 2021, but with an increase in discretionary spending from R$7.036 billion to R$8.176 billion.

The Ministry of Environment should see a R$3.085 billion cut in the budget authorized for this year to R$2.944 billion in the 2021 proposal.

The total discretionary expenses will remain at R$92.052 billion, the equivalent to only 6.3 percent of the 2021 Budget.

Citizenship

Amid discussions to launch the Renda Brasil (Brazil Income) program, which will replace the Bolsa Família (Family Grant) and will be Jair Bolsonaro’s government social brand, the Ministry of Citizenship received a R$7.836 billion reinforcement in its Budget for 2021. The proposal was introduced on Monday by the Ministry of Economy.

Citizenship is currently the portfolio in charge of the Bolsa Família. However, the document does not provide details of which actions will be included in the increased budget allocation.

The Citizenship Budget this year (excluding the emergency aid extraordinary expense) stands at R$96.446 billion, an amount increased to R$104.282 billion in 2021, according to the Budget Bill (PLOA).

Health will see a cut

With expenses increased this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Health will have a more limited budget in 2021. Considering total expenses, the portfolio should get R$136,765 billion next year, according to Monday’s proposal sent by president Jair Bolsonaro.

This year’s Budget authorizes R$138,959 billions, excluding the extraordinary expenses incurred with Covid-19.

However, discretionary expenses, which include expenses and investments, will increase in the Health Ministry, according to the government’s proposal.

The projection is for R$16.348 billion in 2021, against R$15.828 billion authorized originally in this year’s budget.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo