The ongoing feud between Brazil’s House and government is being overshadowed by the significant impact of the country’s shadow economy. A recent study by the National Confederation of Industry has revealed that illegal activities like contraband, theft, piracy, and tax fraud cost Brazil BRL 453.5 billion (USD 85 billion) annually.
If it were its own state, the shadow economy would be the sixth-largest in Brazil. The clothing industry is particularly hard hit, with 67,000 jobs not being created due to these illegal activities. Carlos Erane de Aguiar, security director for industry federations in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, called the numbers a national disgrace that harms both the government and citizens. He urged the government to take a stricter stance against illegal activities in order to address this issue.
The study also highlighted that 370,000 formal jobs were prevented from being created in 2022 due to damages caused by the illegal economy. Supporters of this cause can help boost the work of reporters by contributing to their coffee fund and gaining access to exclusive perks. To learn more about how you can support this cause, visit our website.