Politics · Brazil · 11 hrs ago
Flávio Bolsonaro pledges to restore tax breaks for Brazil's events sector
Flávio Bolsonaro has promised to restore Brazil's Perse tax-break program if he wins Sunday's presidential runoff.
The program supported businesses in events, tourism and related sectors hit by COVID-19 restrictions.
Perse allowed eligible businesses to avoid some federal taxes, but it was phased out in 2025 after reaching a legal cap on tax breaks.
The government said some businesses outside the events sector had used the program, and tax authorities reported suspected fraud.
Restoring the program would bring back support for events businesses, but could also reduce government revenue as Bolsonaro has pledged broader tax cuts.
The promise is aimed at the events sector, including cultural events, shows and tourism.
Voters decide the runoff on Sunday.
Flávio Bolsonaro said he would restore Brazil’s Perse tax-break program for the events sector if elected president.
He made the pledge on social media on Tuesday, October 20, ahead of Sunday’s presidential runoff.
Bolsonaro said the restored program would cover cultural events, shows and tourism.
Perse offered federal tax benefits to eligible businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program was phased out in 2025 after reaching a legislated cap on tax expenditures, though reports differ on its total cost.
- Who
- Senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro made the pledge.
- What
- He said he would restore the Perse tax-break program for the events sector if elected president.
- When
- Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil. He announced the pledge in a social media video or post.
- Why
- He said the sector was struggling and argued that events support businesses, drivers and artists. The program was originally designed to help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flávio Bolsonaro
Lula administration
Program’s purpose
Flávio Bolsonaro
Bolsonaro pledged to restore Perse for cultural events, shows and tourism.
Lula administration
The Lula administration said businesses outside the events sector were using the benefit.
Fiscal impact
Flávio Bolsonaro
Bolsonaro’s campaign has pledged broad tax cuts, alongside a promise of faster fiscal adjustment.
Lula administration
The program was phased out as part of efforts to strengthen public finances; it had reached its tax-expenditure cap.
The program was conceived to mitigate the pandemic’s effects on businesses, according to Estadão.
Perse was sanctioned and introduced to support the events sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program took effect after its regulation was completed in November 2022.
Congress extended the program with a R$15 billion tax-expenditure cap.
Perse was phased out after the cap was reached, according to Reuters.
Flávio Bolsonaro pledged to restore the program if elected president.
- Program
- Programa Emergencial de Retomada do Setor de Eventos (Perse)
- Pledge
- Restore tax breaks for cultural events, shows and tourism
- Announcement
- October 20, 2026
- Tax-expenditure cap
- R$15 billion
- Reported cost
- R$21.5 billion for 2024 and 2025, according to Receita Federal data cited by Estadão
- ચૂંટણી
- Presidential runoff scheduled for Sunday, according to Reuters
4 sources
Brezilya'da Bolsonaro'dan seçim öncesi vergi indirimi vaadi
Se eleito, Flávio Bolsonaro promete volta do Perse, benefício a eventos
Flávio Bolsonaro promete ressuscitar benefício fiscal criado na pandemia para o setor de eventos
Brazil's Bolsonaro courts events sector with pledge to restore tax breaks ahead of election
What people are saying
I will save the shows sector, because where there are events, businesses sell more, taxi drivers and Uber drivers earn more, small artists prosper, and the economy moves.
I will restore Perse for all cultural events, shows and tourism sectors, which are suffocating today.