Brazil has given up on its goal of seeking a primary budget surplus this year and instead will record a massive shortfall as a deepening economic and political crisis drags on revenues, presidential chief of staff Jaques Wagner said on Thursday. Brazil's overall budget deficit has soared to 9% of GDP, according to estimates.
Brazil largest party, main ally and pillar of President Dilma Rousseff's fragile coalition said it was “110% satisfied” with the changes announced on Friday: reducing cabinet posts from 39 to 31, slashing thousands of coveted jobs for political appointees and cutting her salary and that of the vice president by 10%.
Brazil's government ordered 5,000 army troops to one of the host cities for the coming World Cup to provide law and order after a police strike led to civil unrest and looting.On Wednesday, the troops entered Salvador, the capital of Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, the state where police began striking on Tuesday night followed by the ransacking of shops and supermarkets, according to local reports.