Lula Marks 90 Years of Brazil’s Minimum Wage, Calls Pay ‘Very Low’ and Pledges State Mint Will Stay Public

He framed domestic currency production as a sovereignty issue, pressing for higher pay under a formula that uses inflation plus two‑year‑lagged GDP growth.

Overview

At the Casa da Moeda in Rio, Lula said he is proud to have blocked privatization and that the mint will remain public.
He called the R$1,621 minimum wage for 2026 “very low” and urged workers to push with the government for increases.
Brazil’s policy grants real adjustments based on inflation plus GDP growth from two years earlier, with gains constrained by fiscal rules.
The ceremony marked 90 years of the minimum wage and featured the launch of a commemorative medal.
Ministers Esther Dweck, Gleisi Hoffmann and Luiz Marinho attended, along with Central Bank president Gabriel Galípolo.