On the morning of February 27, 2025, drivers operating around 50 water trucks engaged in protests due to delayed payments for services rendered to drought-stricken areas of Ceará. These individuals, affiliated with the Organized Movement of Water Truck Drivers, staged their protest by blocking the BR-122 highway near the entrance to the municipality of Quixadá. They claim to have not received any payments since December 2024.
The protest, which also took place across other northeastern states, prompted information from the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development (MIDR) stating payment for the Operation Carro-Pipa was processed on the same day. The federal government revealed the costs associated with the operation were approximately R$ 50 million, surpassing the available budgetary capacity for covering these costs.
To facilitate the payments, MIDR indicated they requested the decentralization of resources from the Ministry, directed to the Secretary of Federal Budget and the National Treasury, which was granted on the same day. The request was initiated on February 7, following all necessary procedures due to the Annual Budget Law (LOA) not yet being approved by the Mixed Budget Commission of the Chamber of Deputies.
Moving forward, the MIDR confirmed the flow of payments for the Operation Carro-Pipa will be normalized starting in March 2025, coinciding with the anticipated approval of the LOA. The Ceará Truck Owners and Drivers Union (Sindpipa) had previously released a statement outlining their plans for protest actions on February 27 and 28, advocating for their overdue payments. "The truck drivers of the State of Ceará, organized and peacefully, are through this movement, claiming their overdue salaries for November and December 2024 and January 2025," Sindpipa said.
Meanwhile, Governor Elmano de Freitas took significant action by sanctioning legislation on the same day to secure a salary increase of 6.27% for state teachers. The announcement came during the evening and included provisions for active, retired, pensioned, and temporary staff throughout the educational sector. It was confirmed there would be retroactive payments to January for educators eligible for this raise.
The government detailed this salary adjustment is set to benefit around 62,000 educators. The increase was first announced by the governor on February 11, but the legislative project only reached the Ceará State Assembly (Alece) on February 18, where it was read the following day. Official approval was granted by Alece on February 20, 2025.
With the new salary increase, the minimum salary for teachers working 40 hours per week will rise to R$ 4,961.73, with the maximum potentially reaching up to R$ 12,538.03. "This outcome stems from dialogue with the teaching staff; this achievement acknowledges the outstanding work performed by these professionals, who have made education in Ceará exemplary at the national level," Elmano de Freitas stated.
Both protests point to the underlying issues within the state’s management of resources—whether it be for individuals supplying needed water services during times of drought or for the educators who shape and inspire the youth of the region. Promises to rectify delayed payments and provide fair compensation have become urgent priorities for the state government, reflecting the balancing act they must manage as they aim to assist both the communities predominantly relying on water supplies and the educators devoted to nation-building through education.
Continued monitoring of these developments will be necessary as the government works to navigate these challenging circumstances and fulfill its commitments to the people of Ceará.