Brazil president approves raise for Supreme Court justices

RIO DE JANEIRO – Supreme Court justices in Brazil are getting a big pay raise that will trigger an increase in public spending.

The bill approved Monday by President Michel Temer comes as the lame-duck administration argues for significant belt-tightening measures to help Brazil recover from a recession.

The 11 justices will now make around $10,101 a month instead of $8,659, a 16 per cent increase. That raise will trigger a domino effect as several public sector wages are linked to the top court’s threshold.

The raise is part of a deal between Temer and Brazil’s Chief Justice Jose Dias Toffoli which would require judges and others to forgo a monthly housing allowance of $1,123.

Planning Minister Esteves Colnago told reporters Tuesday that initial estimates found that once the housing allowance was subtracted, the raise would cost about $411 million in annual spending.

The increase will put more pressure on the incoming administration of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro. Throughout the campaign, Bolsonaro promised to cut spending in the face of large deficits.

Bolsonaro opposed the pay raise.