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Proposed Tax on Books in Brazil May Disadvantage Readers in Poorer Neighbourhoods
The proposal is part of the bolsonaro government's tax reform plan.
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In 2007, writer Alessandro Buzo opened the Suburbano Convicto bookshop. At the time, the Itaim Paulista neighbourhood in eastern São Paulo had no public libraries — schools were the only places where people had public access to books.
Years later, Buzo says access to public reading spaces has gotten easier but the cost of books can still be an obstacle for many people in his neighbourhood. For low-income Brazilians, access to affordable books may get even harder if a proposed 12 percent tax on the purchase of books passes through the Brazilian Congress.