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In a letter to UNESCO on the occasion of the “Internet for Trust” conference, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva advocated international regulation of social media.
In the document, Lula says that attacks on democracy cannot be tolerated, and that social media regulation must be implemented with transparency, in collaboration with the government, experts and civil society.
According to Lula, the attacks by extremists in Brasilia on 8 January were the result of a misinformation campaign on social media.
As a strategy to accelerate regulations in Brazil, the federal government will propose changes to the Fake News Bill (PL 2630), which is currently being discussed by the Chamber of Deputies. The administration is also considering drafting a bill similar to the one created by the European Union to enforce regulations and tougher penalties for big tech companies.
Valor Economics: In UNESCO’s charter, Lula Payde regulates the international slave society.
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2. Companies act to reduce the effects of the São Paulo coast tragedy
The federal government declared a state of public emergency in six municipalities along São Paulo’s coast. The emergency is the result of excessive rains that have killed dozens and displaced thousands. The heaviest rain ever recorded in a 24-hour period in Brazil.
Private companies are working to support the cities by donating food, medicine and other essential goods. Several organizations have donated money or sent people and machinery to help search for survivors and assist in the evacuation of the wreckage.
The press is questioning how much the state government has invested in mitigating such disasters. The 2023 state budget for risk management and disaster prevention is the smallest in 14 years, at just R$1.17 billion, according to the Associação Contas Abertas.
According to the institution, Sao Paulo state governors who held office between 2011–2022 spent less than 62% of the total available disaster prevention budget during this period.
Metropolitan: Tragedy with SP: it’s 14 years since the last time to stop the destruction
3. 13.7 crore people will be exempted from the new income tax rules
According to Brazil’s federal revenue, 13.7 million people will be exempt from paying income tax after the new changes come into effect on May 1. These changes are one of the promises made by Lula during his presidential campaign.
Under the new rules, workers who are paid up to twice the minimum wage (a total of R$ 2,640 per month) will be exempt. The changes will result in 40% fewer people paying tax than in 2022. Last year, 32 million Brazilians filed tax returns.
The press is discussing the resulting loss of revenue for the government. According to Brazil’s federal revenue, the government will lose R$3.2 billion in 2023 and R$6 billion in 2024. However, these figures differ from the Fiscal Auditors’ Union (SINDIFISCO) estimate of R$14 billion this year.
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4. Brazil suspends beef exports to China after case of “mad cow” disease
Brazil has suspended beef exports to China after a case of “mad cow” disease was identified in Pará. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the World Organization for Animal Health has been notified and tests have been carried out to confirm whether the case is unusual, as the disease can sometimes occur spontaneously in elderly cattle without risk of transmission.
The disease was observed in an animal in a small farm in Marba in Pará. No other animals were slaughtered from the ranch, meaning that the beef currently available did not originate from the ranch.
The Brazilian government is waiting for China’s approval to resume exports before Lula visits the country, which is due in March. Cow slaughter is outlawed in many different regions of the country, and cattle prices have dropped significantly.
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5. Brazil prepares incentives to attract semiconductor makers
With the aim of reducing Brazil’s dependence on imports, the federal government is planning to offer incentives for semiconductor manufacturing in the country.
These incentives include lowering taxes, easing bureaucracy for importing components, and stimulating the ability of workers to produce goods.
These measures have been taken after some regions said that shortages of computer chips and other components were hampering their production. The automotive sector revealed that 15 million more vehicles could have been produced and component shortages are likely to continue into 2024.
Hey Globo: Chips ‘made in Brazil’: political preparations for the government to manufacture semiconductors
