Four ministers from the Federal Audit Court are among the five people who earned the most per diem for business trips in 2025 in the federal public administration, with figures reaching R$132,000 in a single month. In total, they received R$2.7 million in daily allowances throughout the year.
The largest amount was paid to Minister Walton Rodrigues: R$132,000 in daily allowances in March 2025. That month, he also received R$13,000 in reimbursement for medical expenses, R$1,784 in food assistance and R$18,000 in unspecified funds. None of these amounts are subject to the constitutional ceiling (R$46,366.19) and the incidence of Income Tax.
The person who received the most additional daily allowances for the entire year 2025 was the president of the TCU. There were R$600,000 in funds throughout the year to cover travel costs.
In a note, the TCU states that the court is part of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions and presided over the institution until October 2025. Furthermore, the court says that it assumed a position on the Council and Auditors of the Organization.
“The authorities’ travel takes place in a manner consistent with this context of intense international technical cooperation, which requires attendance at appointments in several countries”, says the TCU.
Contacted by personal message and email on Wednesday (3), the ministers did not respond to the report. The offices of ministers Vital do Rego and Benjamin Zymler stated that the TCU press office would be in charge of the demonstration.
In response, the court established that all trips made by ministers and civil servants are motivated by institutional needs and are subject to transparency and
control provided for in legislation.
Aroldo Cedraz, who left the court of accounts in February, was the third with the highest amount paid in daily wages. Throughout 2025, he received R$353,000 in daily wages. Next comes Minister Benjamin Zymler, who earned R$318,000 in the period.
TCU ministers receive US$959.40 (R$4,842, at current exchange rates) for each day they remain abroad, the same amount paid to authorities in the same position at the Superior Court of Justice and the Federal Supreme Court. The figure is more than double what Executive ministers receive (US$460, or R$2,323).
For national journeys, the authorities of the Court of Auditors are entitled to R$1,545.53 per day of travel.
The daily allowances are used to pay for services such as accommodation, food and internal transport for employees who make occasional work trips — in other words, they can only be paid when the trip is temporary, not during a permanent change of residence for the service. In addition to these figures, public servants have the right to have their tickets paid for business trips.
Apart from the ministers, there is at least one TCU employee among those who received the highest amounts in daily wages: auditor Leonardo Naves, who holds the commissioned position of deputy secretary at the court. In 2025, there were R$292 thousand in daily payments.
Regarding this case, the TCU stated that the expense refers to the fact that the auditor has been the court’s deputy secretary of International Relations since January 2025.
Of the ten public employees who received the most amounts due to daily wages in 2025, six are linked to the TCU. In the case of the court, the daily allowances are in addition to other remuneration to which members are entitled, such as daily allowances and reimbursement of expenses.
7 out of 10 TCU employees receive payments above the cap.
The list was obtained from Siga Brasil, a system maintained by the Federal Government that uses data from the federal financial administration.
Other bodies
Executive and government officials are also on the list of people who earned the most from business trips.
José Pedro de Camargo Rodrigues de Souza, judge at the Regional Court in Campinas, received R$300,000 in daily wages. He was summoned to work at the TST (Superior Labor Court), which was responsible for paying additional payments for business trips.
As a TST judge, he is entitled to receive 95% of the daily allowance of a STF minister – that is, US$911 (R$4,851.53).
According to data from the (National Council of Justice) panel, José Pedro de Souza received R$131 thousand in “casual rights”, which led to a net salary of R$149 thousand.
When contacted, the TST did not respond to the report’s questions.
Others receiving high daily rates were André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, a diplomat who presided over the , which took place in . André received R$284 thousand throughout 2025.
Luis Renato de Alcantara Rua, Secretary of Commerce and International Relations, received R$276,708.15 last year to cover his travel expenses.
In the case of high-ranking public servants of the federal Executive, they can receive, in addition to US$460 (R$2,450.93, at current exchange rates) for travel abroad, R$800 in daily allowances for internal travel within Brazil. The largest amounts are reserved only for ministers of state.
In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture states that Luís Rua completed a work agenda aimed at opening markets and that dialogue with international partners is an “inherent function” of his position. The ministry states that the physical presence of authorities provides closer relationships.
The stated that federal public servants are entitled to daily allowances and are granted per day away from the service headquarters. Through the MRE, eight missions by André Lago were recorded, totaling R$ 103,298.86 in 2025. The remainder of the daily allowances were paid by the Presidency of the Republic, after the diplomat was appointed president of COP30.
When contacted, the Presidency stated that the daily allowances received by the president of COP30 are the result of an agenda of preparatory negotiations for the conference, as occurs with presidents of COPs.
