Temer is taking money from poor children to give to churches, says Torres Freire.

247 - In his column this Thursday, Vinicius Torres Freire criticized the changes to the Refis program made by the deputies. All with the approval of Michel Temer who, trying to avoid charges in the Chamber of Deputies, doesn't want to displease the parliamentarians.

"In less than six months, parliamentarians have already pocketed some R$ 9,5 billion in Refis revenue, which will be distributed among companies, perhaps churches, and even among the parliamentarians themselves who owe taxes."

What is R$ 9,5 billion? Compare this withdrawal to the spending on Bolsa Família, that popular unit of account and comparison, a commonplace since Lula's time. The parliamentary pardon for late or defaulted taxes is equivalent to almost a third of the annual spending on Bolsa Família.

In other words, with that money it would be possible to increase Bolsa Família spending by more than 30%. Around 13,5 million families, the poorest of Brazil's poor, could eat more, with some extra money going to the struggling food industry.

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What is this little joke, promoted by Congressman Newton Cardoso Júnior (PMDB-MG)? Almost the same as in July, when he and his collaborators inserted favors for churches, football clubs, universities, ethanol producers, cigarette exporters, dry ports, etc., into the provisional measure. The forgiveness of church debts was requested by the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, according to Newton himself, the rapporteur of the provisional measure, but it fell through, along with the other add-ons. This indecency returned this week.

The Senate can overturn part of the spree. Michel Temer can veto parts of the Refis Provisional Measure, even though his head is on the chopping block, prompting pilgrimages of parliamentarians to plead for votes of support for his dismissal.