Lula government leader wants tickets released for ministers

Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (No party-AP) presented a proposal that wants to guarantee that ministers of State and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) have the right to tickets to their places of origin. The proposal that provides for freed passages was presented through an amendment to the Budget Guidelines Bill (LDO) for 2024.

If approved, beneficiaries will be able to travel back and forth between their homes and Brasília without paying the fares from their salaries. Through Randolfe’s amendment, these trips are now included among those that are of “strict public service interest”. Currently, only trips with official commitments are paid for by ministers, however, some end up booking appointments in their cities to justify trips home.

When justifying the proposal, the leader of the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in Congress, pointed out that the objective is “to guarantee equality between the Legislative, Judiciary and Executive powers by allowing authorities of the Republic to travel from Brasília only to their original residences.”

Proposal for free passages is likely to encounter resistance, but the rapporteur sees no problems

Recent cases involving ministers from the Lula government could complicate the approval of the proposal. The ministers of Communication, Juscelino Filho and Racial Equality, Anielle Franco, would have used FAB flights and tickets paid for with public resources to go to personal appointments.

To be approved, the amendment must be accepted by the LDO 2024 rapporteur, deputy Danilo Forte (União-CE), and after being voted on by all parliamentarians. To Globo, the rapporteur said he saw no problem in approving the proposal. “It costs much more for FAB [Força Aérea Brasileira]. A ticket is cheaper. The minister paying from his salary is a bit complicated, the salary is very little. I don’t know how much a minister earns, but I think it’s less than a deputy. I think it’s fair, it’s not immoral, it’s not illegal. It’s better than him breaking the law and inventing an event in the state to go on the FAB plane”, said Danilo Forte.

Currently, ministers can be transported on Brazilian Air Force (FAB) flights, mentioned by the LDO rapporteur, for three reasons: medical emergency, security and business travel.