Bolsonaro’s latest work in science is defaulting on research grants

a Prevent federal government spending in the 2022 budget, Promoted at the end of November by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), it was a severe blow to Brazilian science, which had been crawling for years with great difficulty.

There are more than 14,000 non-grant residents and 100,000 undergraduate and graduate researchers who will not have guaranteed funding for food and basic expenses. This is because in order to get financial support from the government, the scholarship holder is obligated not to engage in any remunerated activity, totally dependent on the scholarships.

The federal government’s justification for the researchers’ “Christmas default” was the need to “adjust the budget to the spending cap”.

Even in a government marked by disdain for science, the work was considered cruel. This action sparked a revolution in various personalities, ranging from the former BBB and economist, Gil do Vigor (Gil Nogueira), to José de Almeida Meirelle, Rector of the University of Campinas (Unicamp).

“It is unacceptable that more than 100,000 students do not get their scholarships! No more!” Gil said on social networks.

With more than 2,540 unassisted scholarship holders, 1,040 in Masters and 1,500 in PhDs, the Unicamp dean rated the measure as Complete error. “It is unfortunate that Brazilian science, which is largely dependent on our postgraduate scholarship holders, is about to go through this situation: non-payment of scholarships,” Dean Jose de Almeida added to the press.

In early December, Jair Bolsonaro withheld R$5.7 billion from the national budget. “Resources blocked for all pay-as-you-go expenses. Government ends the same way it has all along. It’s the smallest investment in the last 13 years. It’s impossible for deans to make universities and institutes the way we want them to be, with inclusion and student help. Deans are closing their doors. But, Unfortunately, the situation is not an emergency, it is what has been seen in recent years, with scholarships that have been frozen for more than 10 years. The situation is serious for investment and financing for 2023. This must be reviewed, in addition to this year’s emergency problem, explained Luiz Claudio Costa, Dean Ex of the Federal University of Vicosa, in Minas Gerais, and member of the task force group to teach the transition team of the new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, At a press conference on Tuesday (6) in Brasilia.

“What are the risks of education this year? If the scholarships are not paid, if nothing is done, the scholarship holders will not be paid even to fulfill their obligations,” warned Aloisio Mercadante, former minister and coordinator of the transition team, during the press conference.

Amazon feeds in the dark

The withholding of funds from educational institutions in the country amounts to more than R$627 million. All nine federal universities in the legal Amazon do not have money to pay electricity and water bills.

Note from Dean Mato Grosso Federal University It announces that the MEC was to pay only 30% of what was settled in November, with a promise that the remainder would be paid in early December. With the latest blockages, UFMT has a fiscal deficit to pay the liquidated expenses, in the short term, in the order of R$5.2 million.

With less than R$6 million in cash, the rectory of the Federal University of Amazonas was also declared unable to operate.

In a press release, UFAM represents the seriousness of the situation. “A budget embargo imposed by the federal government on December 1 prevents the university from being able to afford water, electricity, telephone, and service contracts for outworkers, as well as teaching, research, student extension scholarships, and per diem for academic activities. Its impact is more complex for the university’s calculations. Compared to the previous reductions, in addition to the prohibition of resources to be complied with, all transfers of financial resources intended for services and purchases already made and ready for payment in December 2022 have been suspended. Ufam has been affected by a deficit of about R$ 6,221,630.00 million and in addition to the reduction that Done in June, this commitment represents a reduction of R$13,582,419.02 in this year’s budget which, if maintained, would significantly affect the 2023 budget, which is already expected to be 20% less than the 2022 budget and the release of financial resources.”

The same reality is happening in the Federal do Acre, which withheld R$2.2 million, and in Rondônia, where the embargo amounted to R$7.2 million from the budget.

Ricardo Marcelo Fonseca, President of the National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education (ANDEVIS), and Vice President of the entity Evandro Soares, met on Wednesday (7) with the Minister of the Civic House, Ciro Nogueira. to discuss the situation.

No search, no forest, no future

The lack of living conditions imposed on those who try to devote themselves to scientific research in Brazil will also have long and medium term consequences in the environmental field. Without research, the long-awaited “transition to the new green economy” becomes increasingly distant. Ensuring that biodiversity is protected and also combating deforestation.

“We are in a very tragic situation. There is a generation that will pay this bill. It is not today or tomorrow in the long run. Everything depends on education, from the training of engineers, biologists and teachers,” Aloizio Mercadante said at Wednesday’s press conference (7).

The president’s act of turning off the lights of his government runs counter to that Your campaign promises🇧🇷 The term decarbonization of the economy was popular during the 2022 election, as it was almost a dominant discourse among presidential candidates.

But it was precisely the institutions that could pave the way for this new paradigm, the federal universities and institutes, the hardest hit by Bolsonaro’s December 1 cuts.

Hope for 2023

PEC 32/2022 for Transition, Approved by the Federal Senate on Wednesday evening (7), With 64 votes in favor and 16 against, it ended up becoming the last hope to ensure the start of a restructuring of teaching and research in Brazil.

The measure should provide R$145 billion for the new government, outside the spending cap, for two years. The club is designed, initially, to guarantee resources for the social sphere, but it must also open new spending windows for health and education.

Unfortunately, everything indicates that until a new president takes office, the NS will have to face Christmas without any resources.