Brazil's grinding poverty worsens during pandemic

Up to 150 million people could slip into extreme poverty, living on less than $1.90 a day, by late next year depending on how badly economies shrink during the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank said Wednesday.

In Brazil, where poverty is already an issue, the cost of food has increased 8.83 percent since August of 2020.

Marcio Santos is unemployed, he used to sell water to drivers caught in traffic, but the because of the pandemic nobody wants to buy it anymore for fear of becoming infected with Covid-19.

He receives the government emergency Covid-19 aid, but the amount is not enough to support his family, including five children, so he comes every week to a street market to collect food that would be thrown away and asks for donations.

"There is no way we could buy milk, diapers, food, we can't raise a family with $54 (300 reais)," he said after receiving donations at the market.

In October, the amount of aid was halved, and many are warning the situation will worsen by year-end as the government winds down its emergency Covid-19 aid program and millions can begin slipping back into poverty.