Sophia Barclay faces scrutiny over social benefit history

Sophia Barclay, a candidate for federal deputy for the PL party in São Paulo known as ‘Trans de Direita’, is facing controversy after records from the Portal da Transparência revealed she has been a recipient of government social assistance programs since 2018.

Despite her public criticism of programs such as Bolsa Família and Gás do Povo—including disparaging remarks about beneficiaries—data shows she received various benefits totaling over R$ 27,000 between 2018 and 2026. These include Bolsa Família, Auxílio Emergencial, Auxílio Brasil, and the Gás do Povo benefit.

Barclay’s campaign has responded by stating that she received assistance during a period of social vulnerability between 2018 and 2020. Her legal team claims that more recent records may be due to her name remaining linked to a family member’s CadÚnico registration, a situation they are currently investigating. Barclay has characterized reports regarding the continuity of her benefits as ‘fake news’ while maintaining that she does not oppose social assistance as a safety net, but rather advocates for stricter rules, such as community service requirements for healthy beneficiaries.