
Brazil's finance ministry sees room for leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to raise the minimum wage as of May at a cost of up to 5 billion reais ($975 million) to the government, two sources in the ministry told Reuters on Friday.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the discussions are private, said a review of government spending, including curbing fraud in the Bolsa Familia welfare program, would pave the way for the new increase to be granted.