国际英语新闻:Brazilian president scraps plans for Renda Brasil public assistance program

BRASILIA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro dismissed on Tuesday the possibility of the implementation of the government program Renda Brasil, an initiative that would have replaced the Bolsa Familia resource transfer program which grants a monthly stipend to low-income families.

Through a video broadcast on social media, Bolsonaro spoke on the rumors of government's alleged intention to freeze pensions to guarantee resources for the Renda Brasil program.

"I have already said that I will never take money from the poor to give it to the poor. To anyone who proposes such a measure, I can only give him a 'red card'. They are people who do not have the minimum amount of heart, they do not have the minimum amount of understanding of how retirees in Brazil live," he said.

"Until 2022, in my government, it is forbidden to say the words 'Renda Brasil'. We will continue with Bolsa Familia and that's all," he said.

In June, Minister of Economy Paulo Guedes announced the government's intention to create Renda Brasil through the unification of several social programs to help citizens weather the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The economic team has since been analyzing possible sources of funding for the program.

Bolsa Familia was created in 2003 and benefits more than 14 million low-income families, according to official data.

The government program was strengthened and expanded as a result of the pandemic into emergency aid for the unemployed, self-employed workers, and micro business owners, with payments to be disbursed to about 70 million people until the end of the year.