Brazil’s Senate passed on Wednesday a 16-percent pay raise for Supreme Court justices, from R$33,700 to R$39,200 (~ US$10,500) a month – roughly 40 times the country’s minimum wage, R$954 (approximately US$255). The lower chamber had passed the bill in 2016 and it had been pending in the Senate since then – now 41 senators voted in favor of and 16 against it. The bill will be presented to Brazilian president Michel Temer to sign or veto it.
Congressional committees both from the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies estimate the pay raise might cause a R$4-billion (nearly US$1-billion) impact on public coffers, as it changes the cap for all civil servants’ salaries.
Also on Wednesday, senators passed a bill to increase the wage of the Federal Attorney General. It is also up to president Temer, whose term ends on Jan. 1, to sign it into law or veto it.
The raises will only be in effect after the president signs the bills into law.
Edited by: Daniel Giovanaz