Brazil swaps acclaimed welfare program for untested stand-in

By DIANE JEANTET
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s government has rolled out a new welfare program, temporarily ensuring much needed financial help for millions of families while also worrying experts because funding and other details have yet to be determined. The program will provide a monthly stipend of around 224 reais ($40) to 14.5 million poor families. The initiative launched Wednesday replaces the widely praised cash transfer program “Bolsa Familia” (Family Grant) that the leftist Workers’ Party initiated in 2003. The new program will provide more money and reach millions more Brazilians. But critics warned about its precariousness in the absence of a set budget. Political analysts, meanwhile, say President Jair Bolsonaro is effectively rebranding an existing program to buoy his reelection chances.