Lula signs 15% Bolsa Família hike weeks before Brazil election

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree raising Bolsa Família payments for poor families 15% to 691 reais on 17 September. The increase takes effect 19 October, between the 4 October first round and likely 25 October runoff. The programme covers about 50 million people and was created in 2003 during Lula's first term.