Brasília, April 6, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Beginning this month, the Brazilian government will make public its expenditures on publicity, on the site www.presidencia.gov.br/secom. This unprecedented initiative also gives citizens the opportunity to examine what the government has spent in this area in recent years. Last year, for example, US$ 196,036,329.29 (R$ 563,604,446.71) were spent on publicity, while in 2002 expenditures on publicity amounted to US$ 223,781,773.75 (R$ 643,372,599.54), according to Minister Luiz Gushiken, of the Secretariat of Government Communications and Strategic Management.

The Minister said that it is the government's duty to furnish information, and the population has the right to know what is being done. "This is the first time in the history of this country that this type of information is being published. I hope that it contributes to the principle of transparency that should prevail in the Republic," he added.

The Minister said the publicity of the federal government is guided by two basic principles: The content has to be informative and educational.

Translator: David Silberstein