Coronavirus

Families of prisoners denied emergency salary

Over 39,000 emergency salary applications related to prison inmates and their relatives will go through additional analysis, according to the Brazilian government. The Citizenship Ministry has removed prisoners and their families from the list of citizens eligible for the monthly benefit. According to federal prosecutors, the decision is not only illegal but could also jeopardize former inmates who remain on the penitentiary system’s outdated database.

The BRL 600 emergency salary rules indicate that people cannot combine the benefit with other cash transfer programs, with the exception of Bolsa Família. Some inmates’ families receive monthly aid from authorities, which would make them ineligible to receive the emergency salary. The Citizenship Ministry denied there are restrictions in place concerning incarcerated Brazilians.

The Brazilian Report’s Brenno Grillo explained how inmates are particularly vulnerable to the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil. 

Augusta Saraiva

Augusta is a Brazilian journalism student at Northwestern University

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