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A30 world news
Diaranson 26 Mei 2021

Withdrawal of pandemic welfare fuels poverty in Brazil

cording to the national sta- lo’s biggest favela. short of vaccines, but Bra-
Last year, Brazil’s govern- tistics institute. It includes zil’s government in particular
ment provided payments to- 14.4% unemployment, which “I wish I could stay home. neglected to chase deals. In-
taling almost 300 billion reais Vale forecasts will climb fur- We just can’t,” she added. “I stead, it bet big on AstraZen-
($55 billion) that reached ther still. protect myself as much as I eca and, once supply prob-
68 million people, about a can. I know people who died lems emerged, bought only
third of the population. The Poverty — defined as house- of COVID. But I can’t die of one backup, the Chinese-
money buoyed economic holds living on less than one hunger.” manufactured CoronaVac.
(AP) — The pandemic activity as President Jair Bol- minimum wage — spiked in Local production of both
shantytown sprang up sonaro denounced restric- the first quarter of 2021 to its COVID-19’s spread ac- vaccines was temporarily sus-
virtually overnight when tions aimed at containing the highest level in at least nine celerated this year, causing pended last week amid fresh
people began using scav- pandemic. Brazil’s recession, years, after plunging last year, more deaths in the first four shortages.
enged wooden boards to which shrank the economy according to Marcelo Neri, months of 2021 than in all
build shacks on a plot of by 4.1%, was smaller than director of the Getulio Vargas of 2020. Nearly 2,000 people Only in February did Bra-
empty land in Sao Paulo, countries in the same region, Foundation’s social policy are still dying each day — a zil’s government start signing
Brazil’s biggest city. where some economies sank center. tally surpassed only by India. deals with other providers —
by twice as much. too late to acquire significant
Geovani de Souza and his Food insecurity for people Neighboring countries are supply until the back half of
pregnant wife were among But the federal government with informal jobs is qua- reeling, too. The world’s 2021. Just 8.9% of the popu-
the 200 families who moved withdrew the welfare lifeline druple that of salaried em- highest weekly death tolls lation is fully vaccinated.
in over the last six months at the end of the year, pri- ployees, according to Tereza on a per-capita basis are now
amid the economic turmoil oritizing beleaguered public Campello, a former minister found in Brazil and five other “The best economic policy
caused by COVID-19. finances and failing to antici- of social development. Latin American and Caribbe- today is mass vaccination.
The Penha Brasil shanty- pate the brutal COVID-19 “That showed how precari- an nations, according to Our We need to quickly vaccinate
town’s rapid creation reflects tsunami that materialized in ous labor has become since World in Data, an online re- the population to guarantee
a resurgence in poverty after January. Welfare resumed in Brazil removed a lot of pro- search site. The regional gross safe return to work,” Adolfo
the government limited so- April, but for roughly two- tections,” Campello said. domestic product contracted Sachsida, Brazil’s economic
cioeconomic turmoil in 2020 thirds as many people. They “Even those who do some 7.4% in 2020, marking the policy secretary, said at a May
with one of the world’s most are also receiving less than work and are more exposed worst single year since 1821, 18 press conference.
generous welfare programs. half the previous monthly to the virus live in a situation when countries were casting
Now that flow of money has amounts. almost as bad as being unem- off colonial yokes, according Vale said people have grown
been curtailed, leaving vul- ployed.” to the Inter-American Devel- used to not doing what’s nec-
nerable Brazilians exposed to Brazil’s job market has cra- opment Bank. essary to contain the virus’
soaring food prices and a still- tered, along with those of As incomes fall, prices are spread. That means a grow-
worsening job market. And other Latin American econ- surging, which means the “In 2019, the region was fly- ing chance of another CO-
the strain comes at a time omies with many informal disadvantaged are doubly ing with one broken engine. VID-19 wave in the third
when there is no near-term workers, according to an in- squeezed. Inflation is climb- In 2020, its other engine also quarter, he said.
hope of mass vaccination to ternational comparison pub- ing at its fastest pace since took a hit,” the bank’s chief
safeguard the labor force. lished May 14 by the govern- 2016 — 6.8%. Over the past economist, Eric Parrado, Soon after, in early Septem-
ment’s economic research 12 months, the cost of staple wrote in a March report. ber, the pared-down welfare
“Government welfare will institute. foods like manioc rose 18%, “The challenge we now face program will end — unless
be less, and a recovery pro- rice 57% and beans as much is to fly this aircraft to safety, the government bows to
cess is harder because of the In the three months through as 51%. rescue the passengers and pressure for its extension.
pandemic and slow vaccina- February, Brazil’s underuti- prepare for the necessary re-
tion,” said Sérgio Vale, chief lization rate — comprised of “Pedro likes to eat a lot in the pairs.” “Everything points to a wors-
economist at Sao Paulo- unemployed workers, people morning, but now he’s also ening of the social situation,”
based consultancy MB As- working few hours and po- trying to keep it to one bun The region’s well-heeled are said Campello, the former
sociates. “People are poorer, tential workers outside the instead of two so we can save flying to the U.S. to get vac- social development minister.
have more expensive bills labor force — climbed to a little for the end of the day,” cines, leaving the poor at the “Brazil will reach the end of
and more expensive food. ... 29.2%, the highest level for dos Reis said in a supermar- mercy of local vaccination 2021 with a level of inequal-
It will be difficult to survive.” that period since 2012, ac- ket near Heliopolis, Sao Pau- schedules. Most nations are ity we had in the 1990s.”

Mali’s president and PM arrested by mutinous soldiers

(AP) — Mutinous soldiers Those who signed on to the new democratic elections as order for him to stay in of- the move suggested mount-
arrested Mali’s transition- joint statement called for promised by next February fice. ing divisions within the tran-
al president and prime Mali’s political transition “to in Mali, where the U.N. is sitional government.
minister Monday hours resume its course and con- spending $1.2 billion a year The soldiers then went on
after a government re- clude within the established on a peacekeeping mission. state television hours later There has been widespread
shuffle left out two mem- timeframe.” calling themselves the Na- concern the upheaval in Mali
bers of the junta that had The two leaders were sworn tional Committee for the over the past year has further
seized power in a coup “The international commu- in last September after the Salvation of the People and set back efforts to contain the
nine months earlier, the nity rejects in advance any act ruling military junta agreed promising a swift return to militants linked to al-Qaida
African Union and United of coercion, including forced to hand over power to a civil- civilian rule. However, Mon- and the Islamic State groups.
Nations said. resignations,” the statement ian transitional government day’s developments appeared
said. “They emphasize that under growing international to throw that promise into Islamic extremists took con-
A joint statement issued along the ill-considered action tak- pressure. question. trol of major towns in north-
with the West African region- en today carries the risk of ern Mali after the 2012 coup.
al bloc known as ECOWAS weakening the mobilization The junta had grabbed power The arrests came just an hour Only a 2013 military inter-
and other members of the in- of the international commu- a month earlier after muti- or so after a new government vention led by the former co-
ternational community called nity in support of Mali.” nous soldiers encircled the Cabinet was announced. No- lonial power France pushed
for the immediate release of home of President Ibrahim tably it did not include Interi- extremists out of those towns.
President Bah N’Daw and The developments raised Boubacar Keita and fired or Security Minister Modibo France and a U.N. force have
Prime Minister Moctar Oua- new alarm about whether shots into the air. He later re- Kone or Defense Minister continued to battle the ex-
ne, who were taken to the the transitional government signed on national television Sadio Camara, both junta tremist rebels, who operate
Kati military headquarters. would be able to move ahead under duress, saying he did supporters. No reason was in rural areas and regularly
freely with plans to organize not want blood to be shed in given for their exclusion, but attack roads and cities.