20 percent of Brazilians qualify for emergency salary

At least 42.3 million Brazilians — around 20 percent of the country’s population — qualify for the BRL 600 emergency salary, a study by the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (Dieese) found. Citizens from Northeastern states are the ones who qualify the most for the emergency salary. In Alagoas, Maranhão, and Bahia, nearly 30 percent of the population has registered for the benefit. Santa Catarina occupies the last position, with only 10.4 percent of the population meeting the requirements.

President Jair Bolsonaro had previously said 54 million Brazilians could qualify for the benefit.

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