Brazil Senate approves freight‑minimum MP amid trucker protests
The Senate approved the provisional measure MP 1.343/2026, which tightens rules for the minimum freight rate on Brazil’s road cargo sector. The text makes registration of transport operations mandatory through the CIOT system, expands electronic monitoring, and raises sanctions for companies that pay below the floor, including fines up to R$ 1 million and possible suspension of transport licences. Senators removed the previously proposed national R$ 5 000 wage floor for long‑distance drivers, citing constitutional concerns, and agreed that the president will likely veto the clause that grants amnesty for fines imposed on drivers who blocked roads after the 2022 elections.
The vote came under pressure from a wave of trucker mobilisations that began on 13 July, especially at the Port of Santos, where demonstrators attempted to block access but caused only brief disruptions. Police confrontations were reported, including one incident in which a driver was punched during a clash. The government and opposition negotiated an agreement to place the measure on the Senate agenda, aiming to complete the vote before the MP’s expiration deadline on 16 July. Agribusiness senators have sought to soften provisions such as the mandatory CIOT requirement for autonomous carriers. While the port authority says operations continue normally, the protests highlight the sector’s leverage over national logistics and the urgency of legislative action.