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PDT's 17 Deputies Leave Lula's Base in Chamber Over INSS Fraud Scandal Involving 6.3 Billion Reais

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Updated May 6, 2025, 11:20 PM

The Democratic Labor Party (PDT) has decided to leave the government's allied base in the Chamber of Deputies following the resignation of Carlos Lupi from the Ministry of Social Security. The move comes amid investigations into frauds at the National Institute of Social Security (INSS), which have led to significant political tension. The decision to break from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government was unanimous among the PDT's 17 deputies, who now plan to act independently in Congress. This shift was influenced by the perceived disrespect towards the party during Lupi's exit, which was seen as the culmination of a public undermining process. Lupi's resignation was prompted by a scandal involving unauthorized deductions from retirees' and pensioners' benefits at the INSS, amounting to 6.3 billion reais between 2019 and 2024. The scandal has led to the arrest of six individuals and the execution of 211 search and seizure warrants across 13 states. The then-president of the INSS, Alessandro Stefanutto, was also dismissed. Despite the departure of the PDT from the government's base in the Chamber, the party's three senators have chosen to remain aligned with Lula's administration, citing their affinity with the government's development projects and most of the Senate's agenda. Wolney Queiroz, a PDT member and former deputy, has been appointed as the new Minister of Social Security.

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