Key Points
- An INSS inquiry is pushing alleged pension fraud and political proximity into public view.
- Congress approved record 2026 earmarks, while the Supreme Court is trying to close loopholes.
- Banco Master’s liquidation is testing supervision, with BRB’s possible losses cited above R$10 billion ($1.85 billion).
Brazil is entering 2026 with a credibility test that mixes household money, legislative power, and financial supervision. The arguments sound technical. The stakes are not.
Start with pensions. A congressional inquiry is examining irregular deductions and alleged fraud affecting INSS beneficiaries, tied to the Federal Police’s “Sem Desconto” investigation.
Lawmakers have sought testimony from figures close to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The case also drew attention to claims that R$1.5 million ($278,000) was transferred in five R$300,000 ($56,000) payments to a company tied to a friend of the president’s son.
These claims are allegations, not convictions. But they force uncomfortable questions about oversight and access. Next comes the budget fight.
Congress approved about R$61 billion ($11.3 billion) in parliamentary earmarks for 2026 inside a budget around R$6.5 trillion ($1.20 trillion), with a projected primary surplus of R$34.5 billion ($6.4 billion).
Fiscal clashes and legal blocks test Brazil’s credibility
Reporting also pointed to cuts to Auxílio Gás and the Pé-de-Meia education incentive. Supporters call earmarks local delivery that bypasses slow bureaucracy. Critics say the paper trail is still too thin, and that money becomes a campaign instrument.
The Supreme Court is tightening the rules. Justice Flávio Dino suspended a “jabuti” that would have revived canceled “restos a pagar” tied to earmarks going back to 2019.
The immediate block was reported near R$1.9 billion ($352 million). Estimates suggested up to R$3 billion ($556 million) could have been reopened, depending on interpretation.
In parallel, Senate President Davi Alcolumbre signaled resistance to elevating AGU chief Jorge Messias to the Supreme Court after his ally Rodrigo Pacheco was passed over for the seat.
Finance then raised the stakes. Brazil’s central bank liquidated Banco Master as police investigated alleged fraudulent credit instruments.
A judge cited evidence that could expose state-run BRB to losses above R$10 billion ($1.85 billion), after transfers reported around R$16.7 billion ($3.1 billion).
These clashes can shift Brazil’s fiscal credibility and investor risk pricing.