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Amid PIX Fake News, Government Denies Tax Claims as Sidônio Palmeira Becomes Brazil's Communications Minister

Jan 14, 2025, 11:30 AM

On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Sidônio Palmeira was sworn in as the new Minister of the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom) in Brazil, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attending the ceremony. Palmeira, who directed Lula's 2022 presidential campaign, replaces Paulo Pimenta, who delivered a farewell speech emphasizing the need for a "sacudida" (shake-up) in government communication. His appointment comes amid a surge of fake news regarding the Brazilian instant payment system, PIX, particularly false claims about taxation and monitoring of transactions over R$5,000. The government has denied any tax on PIX transactions and is preparing an urgent campaign to combat misinformation. Palmeira criticized Meta for its handling of disinformation and stated that "the population does not see the government in its virtues." His immediate challenge is to improve government communication and address the spread of disinformation, particularly concerning the PIX system.