Freedom of Information Law: how will the R$190 million allocated by the government be spent?

Venezuelanos fazem fila diante da Polícia Federal de Boa Vista (RR) para regularização

Conectas has submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Ministry of Defense requesting more detailed information on the allocation of R$190 million in funding that it received from Provisional Executive Order 823/2018. According to the government, the money is earmarked for “emergency assistance and humanitarian reception of people arriving from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”.

Since the Provisional Executive Order does not provide details on how the amount will be spent, the NGO has requested a description of the types of services or hirings that will be made with the R$190 million, as well as its goals and details of the estimated costs (the budget of the “Emergency assistance and humanitarian reception of people arriving from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela” is included as Appendix 1 of the Provisional Executive Order).

• Read the request here

On April 2, the Ministry responded without providing many details about the spending, but informing that the money would be used to relocate 18,000 Venezuelans. Conectas then filed an appeal to obtain more detailed information.

Conectas received a response to the appeal on April 9. The Ministry informed that “the amount of R$190,000,000.00 will be spent on the assembly, supply and operation of structures in Pacaraima and Boa Vista to provide shelter for up to 6,800 Venezuelan immigrants, including the supply of food for 8,000 people per day and medical assistance (not including vaccines and high-cost medicines), in addition to the relocation of up to 18,000 people”.

• Click here to see the response to the appeal