Senator Romário returns salary to Brazilian treasury

Brazilian Senator Romário has voluntarily returned R$ 29,048.49 to the public treasury. The refund covers one month of his net salary, including deductions for income tax and social security.

The repayment follows criticism regarding his travel to the United States to work as a commentator for CazéTV during the World Cup without taking a formal leave of absence from his legislative duties. While Romário participated in Senate sessions remotely to maintain his presence and voting rights, he had previously promised to relinquish the compensation received during his trip.

Although Romário requested the Senate to suspend his payments, the Senate's legal department determined there was no legal mechanism to renounce his subsidy or interrupt payments while he remained in office. His office stated that the returned amount is higher than the proportional value of the days he was away, fulfilling a commitment made during a remote session.