Brasilia, December 8 (RHC)-- The Brazilian Senate has approved the increase in social spending proposed by the president-elect Lula da Silva. The senators raised the spending ceiling by US $28 billion for the 2023 and 2024 budgets.   This increase will make it possible to finance a support program for the poorest citizens through a subsidy of $115 per month starting in January, when the Workers' Party leader will assume the presidency of the country.

During the vote, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues defended the increase in social spending as a measure to end hunger, build other social programs, and "rebuild the country that was destroyed" during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro.

Although the budget approved by the Senate breaks with the policy trend of the last four years, it was an amount lower than that originally proposed by the Workers' Party.

The Senate's Constitution & Justice Commission lowered the original proposal by US $5.7 billion, that is, 17 percent less than what was proposed by Lula's party.  The senators also limited the validity of the subsidy plan to the years 2023 and 2024, while the president-elect's transition team raised the proposal for four years.

Now the legislation must be analyzed in the Lower House, where the far-right lawyers will also try to reduce the program of support for the poor.

Currently, some 20 million families receive the $115 subsidy.  Lula da Silva wants to add $29 to that amount for each child under 6 years of age.  According to official data, 62.5 out of 213 million Brazilians live in poverty, the highest level in the last ten years.