Brazil Senate President Davi Alcolumbre pushes multibillion‑real spending bills

Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has promoted a series of so‑called “pauta‑bomba” measures that could cost the federal treasury more than R$200 billion. The proposals include a new rural credit line estimated at R$140 billion over ten years, a 275 % increase in the salary floor for doctors and dental surgeons, and expanded retirement benefits for health agents and endemic‑control workers, together with a reduction in the retirement age for certain public servants.

The measures have drawn criticism from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), which warned that the combined impact of these bills could reach up to R$1 trillion over the next decade. Legislative analysts note that if enacted, the proposals could affect the Union’s cash flow by roughly R$40 billion, while opposition politicians plan to use the TCU report to attack the government’s fiscal policy.

Alcolumbre’s strategy mirrors that of former deputy Eduardo Cunha, using high‑cost legislation to build political support ahead of elections and to pressure the executive. The push comes despite investigations surrounding Alcolumbre himself and amid broader concerns about Brazil’s growing public debt.