Brazil Supreme Court eases limits on judges' extra benefits

In February, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) halted payments that allowed public servants to exceed the constitutional salary ceiling of R$ 46,366.19. The court later opened a loophole, permitting magistrates and members of the Ministério Público to receive additional allowances, bonuses and indemnities that push total remuneration above the cap.

A calculator created by the newspaper Estadão lets citizens input a regular salary and see how it would rise if the same "penduricalhos" were applied, illustrating the stark disparity between ordinary workers and high‑ranking judges. The tool has sparked criticism from the executive, legislative and judicial branches, highlighting concerns over public‑sector morality and the use of public funds for privileged compensation.