Brazilian Ministries and their Budget
Bureaucracy is a Brazilian ghost in many aspects of the country's routine, in its organization, for example. Brazil has 24 ministries working together for the development of the country in many different sectors, but, the high number doesn’t necessarily mean efficiency and, that’s why, many Brazilians question the need for so many governmental organizations. Find out which ministries they are and their respective responsibilities.
24) Ministério da Pesca e Aquicultura
The Ministry of Fish and Aquaculture is a Brazilian organization responsible for the policies on the national fisheries and aquaculture, covering production, transportation, processing, marketing, supply, and storage. Known in Brazil as Ministério da Pesca e da Agricultura or MPA, the ministry is the regulatory authority of fisheries and aquaculture activities in the country.
Ministry Budget (2013): 630 million BRL.
23) Ministério das Relações Exteriores
The photo of the article is from another important Brazilian Ministry, the Ministério das Relações Exteriores, which is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This ministry doesn’t have any abbreviation like the other ministries of the country. This happened because this organization received a nickname: Itamaraty, alluding to the name of the building in which the ministry is located, the Palácio do Itamaraty in the country’s capital, Brasília. Itamaraty is responsible for all subjects related to foreign affairs in Brazil, from consular documentation to diplomatic relations, and the country’s representation in the international scenario.
Ministry Budget (2013): 2.2 billion BRL.
22) Ministério do Turismo
The diversity in Brazilian territory, in culture, natural resources, and landscapes, made the country very appealing for tourists. Tourism is a very important sector of the country’s economy, and the necessity for a specific Ministry was perceived by the Brazilian Government. The Ministério do Turismo, which is the Ministry of Tourism (MTur), has, as main responsibilities, the development of tourism as a sustainable economic activity, focusing on the generation of jobs and in social inclusion promotion.
Ministry Budget (2013): 2.7 billion BRL.
21) Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior
The activities linked to industry and foreign trade are developed by the Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio, which is the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade (MDIC). It was created to:
- Establish and implement developmental policies for industry, trade, services, and foreign trade.
- Promote intellectual property, technology transfer, metrology rules, standardization and industrial quality.
- Regulate and implement programs and activities related to foreign trade.
- Apply trade defense mechanisms.
Ministry Budget (2013): 2.7 billion BRL.
20) Ministério do Esporte
The promotion of the National Policy of Sports is performed by the Ministério do Esporte, which is the Ministry of Sports (ME). ME is responsible for actions promoting social inclusion through sports, ensuring that the Brazilian population has free access to sports practice, quality of life, and human development.
Ministry Budget (2013): 3.3 billion BRL.
19) Ministério do Meio Ambiente
The large fauna and flora, and the diversity of natural resources of the Brazilian territory must be preserved. Many organizations work in the environmental preservation, and the Ministério do Meio Ambiente, which is the Ministry of Environment (MMA), is one of them.
The Ministry was created by the Brazilian government to develop national policy for the environment and water resources; propose strategies, mechanisms, economic, and social instruments to improve environmental quality and sustainable use of natural resources, and many other competencies for environmental preservation and proper use.
Ministry Budget (2013): 4.4 billion BRL.
18) Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário
The Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário, which is the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA), is a governmental organization responsible to discuss the agrarian reform, the promotion of sustainable development of the rural farmers, and the identification, recognition, delimitation, demarcation, and titling of lands occupied by the remnants of Quilombo.
Ministry Budget (2013): 5.3 billion BRL.
17) Ministério das Comunicações
The development of transparent and participatory public policies that promote access to communications and telecommunication services is the Ministério das Comunicações, also known as the Ministry of Communications (MC). MC works towards economic growth, technological innovation, and social inclusion of the communications and telecommunications sector in Brazil.
Ministry Budget (2013): 5.3 billion BRL.
16) Ministério da Cultura
In Brazil, the protection of the historical and cultural patrimony, as well as the development and implantation of national policy for culture, is subjected to the Ministério da Cultura, which is the Ministry of Culture, also known as MinC.
Ministry Budget (2013): 3.5 billion BRL.
15) Ministério da Integração Nacional
Brazil is a country with a very extensive territory, this results to a cultural diversification throughout the country and long distances between states and/or cities, which makes fragmentation of Brazil very easy. The country is already subdivided into five main regions: North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast, and South. In order to develop the national integration of the country and its policies, the Government created the Ministério da Integração Nacional, which is the Ministry of National Integration (MI).
Ministry Budget (2013): 9.1 billion BRL.
14) Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
For the development and incrementation of the national policy of scientific research, technology, and innovation, the Brazilian Government created the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação, which is the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCT). MCT is responsible for the supervision and control of activities comprised in these subjects, such as the control of the exportation of goods and services.
Ministry Budget (2013): 9.4 billion BRL.
13) Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento
The Brazilian organization responsible for the development of the Agribusiness, and for the regulation of this sector's activities and services, is the Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento, which is the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, also known as Mapa.
Ministry Budget (2013): 10.5 billion BRL.
12) Ministério de Minas e Energia
The union grantor responsible for formulating, applying and monitoring national policies for the mining and energy sector is MME, the Ministério de Minas e Energia, or the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The policies comprise: geology, mineral, and energy resources; use of hydraulic energy; mining and metallurgy, oil, fuel, and electricity, including nuclear energy.
Ministry Budget (2013): 10.8 billion BRL.
11) Ministério da Justiça
In 1822, Dom Pedro created the Ministério da Justiça, or Ministry of Justice, in order to improve and organize the Brazilian legal system. With time, the Ministry, also known as MJ, has developed its initial functions and received other responsibilities. Nowadays, the Ministry of Justice is in charge of many subjects, such as defending the legal order, political rights, and constitutional guarantees, legal police, the Indians' rights, consumers' rights, and many other subjects related to the individual's rights and public safety.
Ministry Budget (2013): 11.6 billion BRL.
10) Ministério do Planejamento, Orçamento e Gestão
MP is the abbreviation of the Ministério de Planejamento, Orçamento e Gestão, which is the Ministry of Planning, Budget, and Management. The ministry has, as main competencies, the participation in the formulation of national strategic planning; review of the socioeconomic impacts of governmental policies and programs; studies and research for monitoring socioeconomic factors; management of national statistical and mapping systems; feasibility of new sources of funds to government plans; coordination of the management of public-private partnerships, federal budget, and planning systems; and many others.
Ministry Budget (2013): 13.6 billion BRL.
9) Ministério dos Transportes
Brazil has a huge territory, and, for that reason, transportation is a very important matter to the Government. In order to formulate, coordinate, monitor, and implement national policies for this sector, the Ministério dos Transportes, also known as the Ministry of Transportation (MT), was created. The MT is an agency of direct federal public administration responsible for transportation in rail, road, waterways, and air, and responsible for merchant marine, and river and lake ports.
Ministry Budget (2013): 21.4 billion BRL.
8) Ministério da Fazenda
In Brazil, the Treasury Office is known as the Ministério da Fazenda, a federal government organization of direct actuation that's responsible for the formulation and development of the Brazilian economic policy.
Ministry Budget (2013): 24.3 billion BRL.
7) Ministério das Cidades
A social movement composed of professionals, labor union leaders, NGOs, intellectuals, researchers, and university teachers created the Ministério das Cidades or Ministry of Cities (MCidades). The purpose was to unify, in a single organization, the sectors of habitation, sanitation, transports and traffic, and other sectors linked to the cities' dynamics that, until then, were segregated.
MCidades aims not only to rethink the occupation of the soil, but, also, to implement a national urban development policy that aims to diminish social inequality in cities, in accordance with environmental sustainability.
Ministry Budget (2013): 25.6 billion BRL.
6) Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego
The Ministério do Trabalho, which is the Ministry of Labor (MTE), is, probably, one of the most important and fundamental ministries of Brazil. That is because, it is responsible for the national policies and guidance for the generation of jobs, the worker support, and modernization of work relations.
Other competencies of the MTE are the monitoring of CLT (Labor Law) accomplishment, the implementation and observance of salary policies, professional formation and development, safety and security at work, immigration policies, and urban cooperativism and associationism.
Ministry Budget (2013): 46.5 billion BRL
5) Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome
The Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger (MDS) was created in January 2004 by President Lula. Known in Brazil as Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome, this governmental organization is responsible for the promotion of social inclusion, food security, comprehensive care, and a minimum income for families living in poverty. For this, the agency implements numerous programs and policies of social development, such as Bolsa Família.
Ministry Budget (2013): 62.1 billion BRL.
4) Ministério da Defesa
MD is the abbreviation of the Ministério da Defesa, which is the Defense Ministry, a Brazilian federal organization that has, as main attribution, the establishment of policies related to the defense and safety of Brazil. Besides that, MD is also in charge of the implementation of the National Defense Strategy.
Ministry Budget (2013): 67.8 billion BRL.
3) Ministério da Educação
The Ministério da Educação, which is the Ministry of Education (MEC), was created in 1930 by the, then, Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas. In its first years, the Ministry wasn’t only turned to educational purposes, it was also responsible for other subjects: like health, sports, and the environment. Nowadays, MEC attributions are purely educational. The Ministry promotes all types of activities, to guarantee qualified education for all citizens in the country.
Ministry Budget (2013): 81.2 billion BRL.
2) Ministério da Saúde
To provide conditions for the promotion, protection, and recovery of Brazilians' health, the Ministério da Saúde was created, which is the Ministry of Health (MS). The ministry works for the reduction of diseases, controlling endemic and parasitic diseases, and improving health surveillance, thereby giving better quality of life for the country’s population. The ministry also ensures the right of citizens to health care, providing conditions for the availability of this right to all individuals, regardless of the social status of each.
Ministry Budget (2013): 99.2 billion BRL.
1) Ministério da Previdência Social
MPS is the Ministério da Previdência Social, which, in Brazil, is the Ministry of Social Security. The ministry mainly functions to create, regulate, monitor, and apply a social security policy throughout the Brazilian territory.
Ministry Budget (2013): 362.3 billion BRL.