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last mo.

Brazil Social Development Minister Walks Back Bolsa Família 'Work Card Swap' Remark

Officials now describe the filmed line as a slip that inverted the intended message of moving families off cash benefits into formal employment through training.

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Wellington Dias, ministro do Desenvolvimento Social.

Overview

  • The comment was captured on Oct. 27 in Montes Claros during the launch of the Acredita no Primeiro Passo program, when Wellington Dias finished a phrase suggesting a work card be swapped for the Bolsa Família card.
  • Social-media reaction followed the video’s circulation, prompting explanations from Salinas mayor Kincas Dias, who said the idea was the opposite and centered on replacing the benefit with formal jobs.
  • Wellington Dias later told CNN Brasil that he had inverted the order of the phrases and meant the work card would replace the Bolsa Família card in the future.
  • The minister’s office issued a statement calling the moment a lapse and reiterating his recurring message of valuing work and entrepreneurship as the path out of poverty.
  • The Acredita no Primeiro Passo program offers professional courses, job placement support and microcredit, with partnerships reported to include Banco do Nordeste, Banco da Amazônia, Banco do Brasil, Caixa, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Carrefour.