The End Is Near for Brazil’s Bureaucratic Utopia
- Temer moves to scale back notoriously bloated civil service
- Nanny subsidies, massage therapists and the Turkey Bonus
After six decades, Brasilia is losing some of its charm. Sure, yachts still ply Lake Paranoa, and the famous modernist buildings gracing Three Powers Square and the Esplanade of Ministries are as magnificent as ever. But the train to happiness? It’s coming to an end.
Brazilians dreamed up that catchphrase to describe public-sector positions that come with near-infallible job security and perks that would impress even some in Silicon Valley. President Michel Temer is unwinding it all as he moves to scale down a notoriously bloated bureaucracy. Dozens of state assets are being auctioned off in a new privatization program. Even the National Mint is up for grabs, which can’t be good news for the 2,700 employees. It’s unlikely the buyer will continue to provide them with no-cost access to dentists, doctors, nutritionists and on-site massage therapists.